


Find Me a Find, Catch Me a Catch

by DKGwrites



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Humor, SuperCorp, bunk beds needs to be tagged, please don't take this fic even remotely seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-02-14 02:13:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 159,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12997584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DKGwrites/pseuds/DKGwrites
Summary: Finding out that Kara and Lena harbor feelings for each other, their friends play matchmaker. A fake assassination scheme is put into play to push the ladies together. Nothing could possibly go wrong.





	1. SisterZoned

“Sanvers with a Big S and Sanvers with a little s,” the barista in the coffee shop said as she held up a take-out cup in each hand.

“Those are mine,” Alex said as she stuffed a dollar into the tip jar and took the cups, “Thanks so much.”

“Thank you,” the barista replied.

As Alex turned, Maggie was just inches away, her eyes narrowed. “Really, Danvers? Little s?”

With a smirk, Alex held out one cup to her fiancée. “Sure, because you’re little.”

Maggie grumbled, hesitating, but taking the cup. “If I wasn’t thirsty and tired, I’d make you get me a new coffee with my actual name on it.”

“Awww, you’re so cute when you’re grumpy,” Alex cooed, trying to pinch Maggie’s cheek.

“Quit it,” Maggie said, slapping the hand away.

“Sam!”

“Right here!” A woman responded to the barista.

Alex and Maggie both turned at the sound of the familiar voice, seeing Sam Arias taking her coffee, a tip given with a smile, and then turning to walk past them.

“Hey, Sam,” Maggie said.

Sam stopped, slightly startled before a smile returned to her face. “Maggie, Alex.  I didn’t even see you two here.  How are you?”

“I’m a little s,” Maggie explained as she took a sip of her coffee and pointed at Alex. “She’s a big S.”

“I...I’m sorry, what did I miss?”

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Alex explained.  “We’re doing well.  Wedding planning is making us a bit nuts.  How’s Ruby?”

“She’s making me a bit nuts,” Sam replied with a laugh.  “Kids.  Hey, um...how’s your sister?”

“Kara?” Alex shrugged.  “She’s good.”

“Okay.” Frowning, Sam took a sip of her coffee.

“Something wrong?” Maggie asked.

“It’s nothing,” Sam replied.  “It’s just that...It’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing.”

Shaking her head at Maggie, Sam said, “I’m being silly.  Maybe it’s just my imagination but...hmmm”

Maggie and Alex exchanged glances, and the redhead leaned in a bit closer to the CFO and asked, “Your imagination about...Kara?”

Sam shrugged.  “I mean, I don’t know her that well.  She and I worked together when Edge was trying to frame Lena for poisoning those kids, and we talked quite a bit.  I got to observe her quite a bit.  Oh, not in a creepy way.  I’m a mom, so I need to know when my kid is trying to keep something from me.  With Kara, I could tell she was hiding something, and I didn’t try and pry, but she is not a good liar.”

“Uhhhh…” Maggie took a quick sip of her coffee.  “You know, Kara is pretty much an open book.  She loves pop music, puppies, doughnuts, and reporting is her life.  Yup, that’s Kara Danvers in a nutshell.  Nothing else to tell.”

When Maggie elbowed her, Alex nodded. “Also she can’t bake, she’s a lousy driver, and a great singer.  There, now you know everything there is to know about Kara.  You can get an A+ in Kara Danvers 101.”

“Well, that’s not exactly everything, now is it ladies.”  Sam grinned.

“I...yes it is,” Alex assured.

“So, you’re saying it’s my imagination?”

“Yes,” Alex and Maggie said in unison.

Sam looked back and forth between the other two women and took another sip of coffee. “O-kay, if you say so. It’s just...well, I guess if anyone would know, you would know, right Alex?”

“I...would definitely know because I’m her sister. I mean, there isn’t anything to know, so I don’t know anything.”

“Hmmm.  I guess.  I was just so certain that Kara was…” Sam’s phone buzzed in her purse, and she pulled it out.  “Excuse me.”  She checked it briefly, sighing.  “It’s work.  It’s alway work lately.  I have to get going.  It was great seeing you both.  We’ll have to catch up soon.”

“Sounds good,” Maggie said with a wave.

“Yeah, maybe over the weekend,” Alex said, trailing slightly after Sam so she could keep chatting a bit.  “You can bring Ruby.  We’ll see if Kara is free, nice, normal, boring Kara who has no secrets.”

Sam laughed, stopping with her back pressed against the door.  “I’m still not so sure about that.  I tell you what though.  I’m meeting Lena for lunch to go over some final details for a contract.  I’m going to pry a little bit and see if I can’t get this secret out of her.  Later!”  With a wave and a push of her back against the door, Sam disappeared outside.

With a gasp, Alex spun to stare at Maggie who was just a few feet behind her and looking just as alarmed.  “Fuck!”

“Go!  Go!”  Maggie said, nearly bowling Alex down as she made her way to the door.  “Come on.  We can’t let her out Kara to Lena.”

“So, what do we do?”

“Right now I’m panicking,” Maggie replied, hurrying down the street as she saw the CFO. “Hey, Sam, wait up!”

Turning, Sam paused with a small smile. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Uh...don’t talk to Lena.”

“Why not, Maggie?”

“She, uh...she...Alex, why not?”

“Fuck,” Alex mumbled. “Look, Sam, whatever you think is going on isn’t going on, but you’ll make things complicated for Kara if you tell Lena you think something is going on that isn’t going on so just don’t tell Lena what you think is going on is going on...because it isn’t.  Okay?”

After blinking several times, Sam replied, “I have no idea what you just said.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Maggie admitted.  “Are we still discussing the same thing?”

“Stop helping, Sawyer,” Alex grumbled.  “Sam, Kara and Lena are really good friends.  Kara cares about her, but things are just...complicated, okay?  Just let this go.  Can you let this go?”

“Really good friends, huh?”  Sam sipped her coffee, her jaw working back and forth and her eyes narrowing.  “Does this have anything to do with Lena’s last name?”

“Kara does not care about that.”

“Do you?” Sam asked.

“I trust Kara’s judgment,” Alex replied immediately.  “Anyway, Lena has done more good for this city, for the world, than the rest of the Luthors have done harm.  If people were really judging the name Luthor accurately, they’re in the positives from all of the good Lena has done.”

Squeezing Alex’s arm, Maggie said, “That was really sweet, babe.  We’re still arresting Lillian when we catch her though.”

“Federal max as soon as we catch her slippery ass.”

Relaxing a bit, Sam nodded.  “So, you’re fine with Lena.”

Alex nodded.

“Why wouldn’t we be?”  Maggie asked.

“No reason.  Well, no reasonable reason,” Sam replied.  “Kara seems super.”

Alex laughed nervously and took another sip of her coffee, mumbling into the cup, “Fuck.”

“Kara’s great!” Maggie said with a bit too much enthusiasm.

Brows furrowed and nodding at the detective, Sam gave a small smile.  “Anyway, if everyone isn’t opposed to Lena, and Kara is obviously...well, it’s obvious, right?”

“No, it’s not!” Alex and Maggie said at the same time.

“Guys, come on.  The only thing more suspicious than Kara is the way you’re acting right now.  Don’t you think we should just let the cat out of the bag?  I don’t think this secret is helping anyone.”

“Sam, there’s no secret.  It’s just...Kara is awkward and...words,” Alex said.

“Words?” Maggie blinked several times.  “Did you just say, words?”

“I...I mean Kara is awkward with words.”

Maggie shook her head. “Apparently that runs in the family, Danvers.”

“Look, are you really worried about me talking to Lena about this?” Sam asked.

“Yes, it would just be...awkward,” Alex responded.  “Please don’t.”

“Okay.  How about I talk to Kara and convince her to talk to Lena?  Better?”

“Ahhh...Maggie?” Alex’s voice rose up an octave.

“Maybe we should call J’onn.  Can we call J’onn?  Can he fix this?”

Alex exhaled heavily.  “I have no idea.”

“Who’s John?”  Checking her watch, Sam said, “Guys, I really have to get to work.  Lena has this expectation that I show up and help run the company she’s paying me exorbitantly to help run so...talk later?”

“Sam, Sam wait.” Alex swallowed hard.  “Just...just don’t say anything to Lena today, okay?  Maybe you and I can talk tonight?  Maybe we can clear this up, okay?”

“Fine,” Sam agreed.  “I think Lena sort of knows already and is ignoring it and being all Luthor self-loathing about it or something.  That girl has a serious case of poor self-esteem.  I mean, how do you spend any real time with Kara and not notice that Kara is…”  Sam smiled, pausing slightly as the other women hung on her words.  “...totally into Lena.”

“No, she…!” Maggie paused in her denial.

Stumbling a half-step forward as she was literally hanging on Sam’s words, Alex laughed.  “Oh, my God.  You’re so right.  She so is.  Maggie, babe, isn’t she?  Weren’t we just talking about that?”

“I uh, yeah, actually, we were just discussing that.  You said if your sister were any denser, bullets would bounce off her skull.”  Maggie sipped her coffee, mumbling, “Or something like that.”

“Yup, that’s my Kara!” Alex smiled proudly.  “She’s dense and totally into Lena Luthor.  What an idiot!  I’m sure she’ll figure it out soon.”

“Not likely,” Sam replied.  “After Lena’s latest near-death incident, and what is it with this city?  It has got to be one of the least safe places in the country to live.  Anyway, Lena was saying how lucky she was, and Kara just hugged Lena and called herself Lena’s sister.”

Choking on her coffee, Alex sputtered unable to speak.

“Wait, Kara sisterzoned, Lena?”  Maggie asked.

“That’s a thing?” Alex asked between attempts at clearing her windpipe.

“From your sister, apparently it is.  How did Lena take it?”

“Uh...oddly well.  I kind of went with it, but I wanted to smack them both in the back of their heads.  I mean, they both have it so obviously badly for each other that—”

“Wait, wait.” Alex coughed once more.  “Lena too?  Lena is into Kara?”

“Lena is totally into Kara,” Sam assured.  “Anything, any conversation, she can bring it back around to Kara.  At first, it was cute.  Then it became adorable.  Now it’s gone through annoying and into obnoxious.  Every time I bring up Kara, and the word ‘friend’ explodes from Lena’s mouth over and over...” Sam sighed. “I swear, I think lasers are going to shoot from my eyes.”

“Okay, well this changes things, doesn’t it, babe?” Maggie asked.

Sipping her coffee, Alex didn’t reply.  She just nodded ever so slightly.

“Sam, if Kara told Lena how she felt, do you think Lena would respond the same way?”  Maggie asked.

Sam smiled, opening her mouth and then closing it.  The smile fell off her face and then she said, “I’m not sure she would.  Lena is really worried about collateral damage.  Like I said, she almost dies a lot.  Her family is a disaster.  Lena used to avoid friendships just because of the Luthor name.  It’s amazing she’s even letting people get that close now.  I think she’d be too worried for Kara’s safety to date her.”  Checking her watch, Sam added, “Okay, I’m running really late now.  There is no way I’m going to make it to work on time.”

“I’m really sorry, Sam.  We shouldn’t have—”

“It was for a good cause,” Sam replied with an easy smile.  “Unfortunately, I can’t just work through lunch today because I already have a working lunch.  I just wish I was Supergirl and could fly because it’s the only way I’m going to make it on time.  I’ve got to run...literally.  Bye!”

“Bye Sam!”

“Lunch with Ruby this weekend!” Alex called as Sam waved over her shoulder and ran off.  “Okay, that was much less terrifying and much more informative than I thought.  Hmmm.”

“I’ve seen that glint in your eye before, Danvers.  What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking my sister may be able to face down giant, fire-breathing aliens, but when it comes to her own feelings, she’s a big old chicken.  Lena Luthor is the most self-sacrificing idiot on this planet.  If they’re going to get together, they’re going to need an intervention.”

“And we’re intervening?”

Alex nodded. “Call the team.  Operation Kena is on.”

“What did you just say?”

“We are getting my sister and Lena together in time for our wedding.  It’s not optional.”

Maggie nodded.  “No, no.  I get that, and I’m on board.  What did you call it?”

“Um...Operation Kena?”

Scrunching up her face in obvious distaste, Maggie shook her head. 

“Okay.  Well, how about Lara?”

“Better,” Maggie admitted.  “It just doesn’t sound...epic enough for them.  I mean this is the last daughter of Krypton and the last free Luthor.  This is one of the greatest heroes on the planet, and a billionaire, heiress, genius, CEO of two Fortune 500 companies.  This is like...Luthor...El...Kryp...Luth...Super...CEO...Corpor...Corp...CorpKryp...KrypCorp...Super...SuperCorp!”  Maggie smiled victoriously at the chosen naming convention.

“SuperCorp?”  Alex held Maggie’s hopeful gaze for several moments then looked away, pulling her phone from her pocket.  “I don’t like it.  It will never catch on.  Let’s call the team and get this party started.”


	2. The Worst Dating Site Ever

James and Winn sat on the couch in Alex and Maggie’s apartment, Alex on the loveseat.  Everyone had a drink and made small talk.  When Maggie came over with veggies and dip and chicken wings, people dove in and began to eat.

“Thanks, Mags,” Winn said, smiling, barbecue sauce on his chin.

“Yeah, thank you both,” James agreed.  “We’re not here for food and movies though.”

“No, you’re not,” Alex agreed, picking at the label on her beer.

“This is Operation SuperCorp,” Maggie said.

“Operation what?” Winn asked.

“We are not calling it that,” Alex said sighing loudly.

“Why?  It’s a great name.”

“It’s a stupid name.”

“I like it.  People will like it.  The guys, the guys will like it.”  Maggie turned smiling at James and Winn.  “Guys, tell Alex you like it.”

“I’m sorry, what are we talking about?” James asked.

Winn held up his hand. “Yeah, I’m confused too.  Is this a DEO mission, and why is Maggie here?  Why is Maggie naming it?  Why don’t I get to name it?  I’m great at naming things.  I named James.  James, tell them I named you.  Tell them I named Guardian.”

“You didn’t name me,” James contested.  “What’s going on?”

“My sister is clueless.  She’s a nightmare when it comes to dating.”  Alex pointed at both men with her bottle.

“I’m with you so far,” James said.

“We’re going to help her.”

“With a DEO mission that Maggie gets to name?” Winn asked.

“Oh, for fuck's sake Winn!” Alex snapped.  “There is no DEO mission.  We’re going to hook Kara up with someone.”

Nodding briskly, Winn shoved a chicken wing in his mouth.

“Okay.” James nodded.  “So, what’s this SuperCorp thing about?”

Maggie grinned.  “It’s like a naming convention thing.  Like, people have started to call us Sanvers, me and Alex.  The S is for Sawyer and the rest if for Danvers.  Why I just get one letter, and she gets the whole rest of the word I don’t—”

“It’s because you’re small,” Alex interrupted.

Maggie jumped to her feet. “I swear to God, Danvers, my lips to the Almighty’s ear, I will beat your ass in front of company for this.”

“Promise?” Alex’s lips curved up into a smile.

Glancing back at the guys who watched with far too much interest, Maggie slowly sat and mumbled, “Later.”

Clearing his throat, James said, “Okay, so Super is for Kara, for Supergirl.  I get that.  I don’t get the Corp reference though.  Who’s that?”

Alex sighed.  “I don’t like the name, but it makes sense.  That’s for L-Corp.”  When James just stared, Alex added, “Lena Luthor the CEO of L-Corp.”

After several moments of silence, James asked, “I’m sorry, did you just say you want to get Kara together with Lena Luthor?”

Alex nodded.

“You do know Lena Luthor is a Luthor, don’t you?”

Spitting his chicken bones onto a plate, Winn said, “I guess you can’t be pretty and smart, huh, James?”

Looking to his right, James pushed out suddenly knocking Winn to the floor.   Straightening his tie, James smiled.  “Like I was saying, you know you’re talking about setting up a Super with a Luthor, right?  On a scale of good to bad, that’s a disastrous idea.”

“Well, Lena’s not a Luthor, she’s just Lena,” Maggie argued.

“Lena Luthor,” James said.

“Technically,” Maggie admitted.  “Luthor is her last name, but that doesn’t make her a Luthor.”

James nodded.  “That’s exactly what it makes her.  Look at her birth certificate.”

As he slid back onto the couch, Winn said, “Actually, on her birth certificate, her last name is—” As James glared at him he said, “I’m gonna get another drink.  Anyone else want another drink, besides Alex I mean?  No?  No one?”

“Look, the point is she’s a Luthor.  Sure, she seems nice.  She’s friendly and charming, but that’s exactly what the Luthors are like.  They’re the nicest people you’ve ever met until they’re trying to kill you.  I’m telling you, she’s just like Lex.”

“But with more hair!”  Winn called from the kitchen.  

“You can’t trust a Luthor.  I knew Lex, and I trusted him at one point.  That nearly got my friend killed.  I’m not going to make that mistake again.  I care about Kara much too much to do that.”

Walking into the living room, Winn handed Alex her beer.  He took a sip of his own as he sat down.  “Maybe it’s the bald that got to Lex.  Hair is important.  No offense, James.”

“Offense taken.”

“James, you’re working with her now.”

“For her,” Winn pointed out.

“True, thanks Winn,” Alex added.  “You’re working for her, James.  What has she done to make you suspicious?”

“Well...I mean, so far she hasn’t—”

“That’s code for she’s innocent and he’s got jack shit,” Maggie said dipping a carrot.

“I just haven’t caught her yet.”  James slid forward on the couch a bit closer to Maggie and Alex.  “I’m keeping a close eye on her, though, a really close eye on her.”

“Ha!  And that’s code for she hasn’t done anything and I think she’s hot!” Maggie said biting her baby carrot.

“No!  No she is not!”

“Dude, she so totally is.”  Winn shook his head.  “You can call her evil, but don’t say she isn’t hot.”

Pushing back into the couch, James crossed his arms.  “It doesn’t matter anyway.  What makes you think Kara and Lena would have any interest in each other?  They’re just friends.”

Standing, Maggie pointed down at James.  “And that is code for I’m a jealous, jealous little man!”

“What!”  James leaped to his feet.  “I am not!”

“Oh, but of which one?”  Alex grinned.  “Of Kara or of Lena.  Is there an office romance or an office romance?”

“Nothing, neither, stop it!”

“I think the lady doth protest too much.” Winn smiled, the smile fading immediately as he quickly curling in on himself when James leaned down on him and Winn added, “Or in this case the big guy with lots of muscles.  Please don’t hit me, James!  I bruise like a peach!”

“Okay, James relax.”  Alex gestured for James to take a seat.  “He really does bruise like a peach.  The other day he banged his knee underneath the table at work and ended up with bruises all the way down to his ankle.”

“They should make tables out of something softer, like foam,” Winn suggested.

“Winn, they’re tables.  They don’t work if they’re soft.”  Alex took a swig of beer.  “Okay, now we’re all going to work together on this, and that means no more teasing James.”

“But what if—?”

“You too, Sawyer.  We’re all agreed that Kara and Lena like each other and would make a great couple, right?”

“Agreed.”

“Yeah, totally!”

“I am not on board with this.”

“Noted, James will be working with us under protest,” Alex said with a smile.

“I’m not doing this,” James said.  “You can’t trust a Luthor.”

“Fine,” Alex said.  “You’re acting like a baby, having a tantrum, treating Lena like the rest of her family for no reason, so now you’re grounded.”

“I’m...I’m sorry, you can’t ground me.”

Alex shrugged.  “You’re acting like a child, so apparently I can.  The Guardian suit was made with DEO resources, and Winn is also a DEO resource.  Until you grow up and act like an adult, no Guardian.”

“But...but...that’s not fair, Alex.”

“Dude, why don’t you threaten to hold your breath until you get your way,” Winn suggested.

James glared but didn’t respond to Winn, finally saying, “Fine, I’ll help, but only so I can keep an eye on Lena and whatever harebrained scheme you all are cooking.  Kara needs someone to protect her.”

“Very heroic,” Alex said sliding a bit further forward on the loveseat.  “Okay, so we all have a part to play in this little matchmaking scheme.  Maggie, you’re up first.  You and Lena have a bit of a rocky past.”

“I arrested her.”

“Right, but you’re going to use that to your advantage.”

“Does she like being arrested because I have my cuffs and…” When Alex stared daggers in her direction, Maggie took another carrot and dip.  “I’m just going to listen to you talk.”

“That seems unlikely,” James commented.

“ **Anyway** ,” Alex began.  “You and Lena have spent some time together, and she didn’t even mention the arrest.  She just let it go.  However, you still feel guilty about it.”

“I do?”

“You do,” Alex assured her girlfriend.  “You feel so guilty that you’re going to befriend her.  Spend time with Lena, take her out for drinks, go dancing, or maybe the shooting range.  The shooting range is fun, and I think she likes guns.  What girl doesn’t like guns, right?”

Maggie held up a hand as she swallowed her carrot.  “So, wait.  My job is to go out drinking and dancing with the hot chick?”

“Well, not if you’re going to call her the hot chick.”

Leaning in quickly, Maggie kissed her fiancée.  “I love you.”

“Hmmm...love you too.”

“So, why am I here?” Winn asked.

“Tech support,” Alex replied.

“I don’t have to hack Lena Luthor, do I?  Normally, I’d be up for the challenge, but not if Kara and Lena’s whole relationship rested on the balance.  I think I have around a 50% success rate when it comes to L-Corp cyber security...but don’t tell J’onn I said that.”

“Winn, relax.  You’re not going to hack Lena.”

“Oh, good,” Winn said sighing with relief.

“Your job is to create a credible threat against her.”

“I...you want me to threaten Lena?” Winn laughed tight and high.  “Alex, a big moth got into my apartment, and I had to call James to get it out.”

“He really did.  It was pathetic,” James agreed.

“Dude, that thing was like Mothra.  I think it may have been an agent of Cadmus.”

“Winn, Winn!” Alex waited until the man made eye contact to continue.  “You’re not threatening Lena.  I need a verifiable threat against her created so that Supergirl can be set as her protection for a limited time.”

“How limited?” Winn asked.

“Long enough for Kara and Lena to stop dancing around this relationship and for one of them to stick a toe over the line.  I think that’s all it will take.  Otherwise, they’re both going to die old maids because of Lena’s self-loathing and Kara treating Lena like she’s...she’s...me!”

“Whoa.”  Winn nodded.  “That was painfully accurate.  So, what is ‘Mr. Here Under Protest’ going to be doing?”

“Ah, James has at least one possibly two jobs,” Alex said.

“Here we go.”  James sighed.

“Oh, don’t be all melodramatic.  If this all works out, maybe you can be their wedding photographer as well as ours.”

“Awww, babe.”

“I know, right?”  Alex leaned in and kissed Maggie a bit less briefly than the kiss Maggie had given her before.  “Anyway, James, your first job is to be our eyes and ears inside Catco.  You’re already around the two of them all day at work.  We need to know how things are going and if anything is going poorly.  If you wanted to try and be helpful, that would be okay too.”

Arms crossed, James just sat back silently.

“Which you apparently don’t want to do,” Alex continued.  “Now, if they can’t move this along on their own, we might have to get creative and turn up the heat.”

James leaned forward.  “Which means what exactly?”

“Which means we turn up the threat level against Lena, which will include a few well-placed attacks on her.  We’ll start at Catco—”

James leaped to his feet again.  “That’s nuts!”

“Just listen to me,” Alex motioned him to sit again.

“No, Alex, no.  Maybe I’m wrong, and Lena is okay, but you’re acting crazy now.  You want to actually attack Lena Luthor to try and set her up with your sister?  This is like the worst dating site ever.  What are you going to call it?”

Winn laughed.  “Yeah, Alex, instead of okcupid are you going to call it okcadmus?  Or instead of eharmony you could have edisharmony.  Or maybe—”

“Winn.”  Alex just shook her head.  “James, no one is actually getting attacked.  No one will be in any danger.  Winn is going to create some devices that will seem to generate a threat, but he’ll control what happens, and you’ll be there to make sure that only Kara, Lena, and you are there when anything happens, so no one else sees Kara protecting Lena.”

“You mean Supergirl,” James clarified.  When Alex was silent, James’ arms went up over his head, and he turned in a circle.  “Are you kidding me?  You want her to reveal herself to a Luthor?”

Alex stood also.  “No, James, Kara wants to come out to Lena.  She’s wanted to do it for a while if you’d been listening to her about it.  She’s hemmed and hawed about this, and the DEO has basically shut her down on it, but this isn’t the DEO’s secret.  This is Kara’s secret.  This is Kara’s life, and she should get to decide who she wants to tell.  I tried to talk to J’onn about this a while ago, and he told me his decision was final.  If a civilian’s life is in danger, one who’s saved not only his life but this entire planet, well then maybe he needs to listen.”

Slowly, both James and Alex stood staring at each other, neither one really giving ground.

“Wait, so J’onn is or isn’t on board with this, Alex?”  Winn asked.

“J’onn is my job.  I’m taking care of J’onn,” Alex replied.

With a nervous, high-pitched titter, Winn rubbed the back of his neck.  “That did not sound like a yes.  Did anyone else hear a yes?  Because I did not hear a yes.”

“Babe, you did clear this with J’onn, didn’t you?”

“I’ve got it covered,” Alex assured.  “I have a specially trained operative with a very specific skillset coming to join the briefing.”  Alex picked up her cellphone, her brows drawing together.  “They’re just running a little bit late.”

“Is it President Marsdin?  If it isn’t President Marsdin then J’onn is going to kill us.  Oh!  Oh!  Or Cat Grant.  Is it Cat Grant?  Cat Grant is really scary for a human.  Is it Cat Grant?”  Winn asked.

There was a knock on the door, and Alex grinned.  “You’re about to find out.  Come in!”

The door didn’t open, but there was a red glow and something appeared through the door.  Materializing on the other side, M’gann stood with a bottle of alcohol in one hand and balanced on the other hand she had a small pizza box on top of a large pizza box.

“Sorry I’m late, guys,” M’gann said as she walked into the living room and put down the pizzas, taking a seat on the couch between Winn and James who had finally sat again.  She flipped open the small pizza, pointing at it.  “They got Maggie’s pizza order wrong.  It had real cheese, not vegan cheese, so they had to remake it.  So, why are we all here?  Is this wedding stuff?”

“Eventually,” James muttered.

“M’gann.  Genius!  J’onn won’t kill us after all,” Winn said rubbing his hands together and then sliding Maggie’s pizza to the coffee table to uncover the pizza underneath.  He opened the large pizza box.  “Hamburger.  Yum!”

“Hey, get a plate you heathen,” Maggie ordered, pointing until Winn headed back to the kitchen.  “Bring plates for everyone, and get M’gann a glass.”

“Anything else while I’m in here?” Winn asked.

“Napkins!” Alex ordered.

“Bring a roll of paper towels,” Maggie clarified.

M’gann waved slightly to draw attention to herself.  “Why is J’onn going to kill you?”

“He’s not,” Alex replied.  “You’re going to keep us alive.”

“O-kay.  I feel like I’ve missed a lot of critical information.  Maybe it wouldn’t have killed Maggie to have non-vegan pizza this one time.”

“It might have.  Don’t take that chance.  Don’t ever take that chance,” Maggie said eating her pizza out of the box in her lap.

M’gann nodded slowly.  “So, the killing.  Is this about something you’ve done or something you’re going to do?”

“Going to do,” Alex said.

“I’m acting under protest,” James clarified.

“Here: plates, paper towels, and a glass for M’gann,” Winn said unloading his arms as he sat and grabbed a slice of pizza.  

Everyone else got food.  Maggie even grabbed a plate.  M’gann poured herself a beverage and then everyone settled back in to chat again.

“Okay, catch me up.  What did I miss while I was in the kitchen?” Winn asked.

“You missed nothing.  I’m still lost,” M’gann replied.  “All I know is that J’onn may kill you over something you haven’t done yet, and James doesn’t want any part of it...and possibly is being blackmailed?”

“Accurate,” James replied.

“You are not.  You are being a baby.”  Alex tipped back her beer, grimacing when nothing else came out.  She held out the bottle.  “Winn?”

“Seriously?  Why is it always me?”

“Because you always sit closest to the kitchen.”

“Oh.”  He shrugged, taking her empties and heading to the kitchen.

Alex smiled, then turned to M’gann.  “Okay so here’s the dirty on the plan.  Kara and Lena are obviously crazy about each other, but both are acting like idiots and not doing anything about it.  Kara has been wanting to tell Lena she’s Supergirl, but the DEO has been opposed, so we’re going to give the DEO a reason to let Kara do it.  Winn will create a credible threat against Lena’s life that will require Supergirl level protection at work and home.  Thus Kara coming clean, if she wants, about her secret identity.  It will also mean them spending more time together.  James will be our eyes and ears inside Catco.  J’onn said that Martians can temporarily protect others from having their minds scanned, so we’ll need you to help us with that.  I’m going to take control of the DEO search and make sure we don’t waste resources on this search for Lena’s assailant or actually catch him...him being Winn.  Any questions?”  M’gann started to speak, but then Alex added, “Oh, and Maggie is going to befriend Lena so she has a confidant to turn to about her feelings for Kara, someone who is in on this and can push her in the right direction.  Now, any questions.”

“Uh…” M’gann nodded.  “I’m sure I’ll have a few, but when you say Lena, do you mean Lena Luthor as is the daughter of Lillian Luthor?”

“Uh-huh.” James crossed his arms, leaning back with a smug smile.

“Look, M’gann—” Alex started.

“Kara has feelings for Lena Luthor?”

“M’gann, you don’t know Lena.  She’s really smart and really nice,” Alex said.  “You should give her a chance.”

Sliding forward until just her butt was on the couch, M’gann clarified, “You’re sure Kara is interested in Lena Luthor?”

Nearly tossing her plate on the coffee table, Alex snaps back, “Yeah, I’m sure.  Is that a problem?”

M’gann blinked at Alex several times before breaking into a broad grin.  “No, of course not.  I love Lena Luthor.  Well, I don’t know her, but I’d love to get to know her.  She saved my life.  She saved the life of all aliens even though she had to arrest her mother to do it.  She’s our hero.  Plus she stopped the Daxamite invasion.  If I help with this, do you think I’ll get to meet her?  Oh, will she come to the bar?  There are a lot of people who would love to thank her in person.”

Pointing behind M’gann at James’ expression, Winn leaned back and laughed.

“Winn?”  Alex shook her head.  “You’re right, but he can still snap your finger.”

“Ah.” Winn nodded, pulling his hand back into his body.  “And I still bruise like a peach.”

Smiling over at the Martian, Alex said, “M’gann, if you help us pull this off, not only will you get to meet Lena Luthor, you’ll probably end up in Kara and Lena’s bridal party.”

“Ah, a party for bridals.  I’m not familiar with this Earth tradition, but I look forward to learning more about it.”  M’gann lifted her glass and nodded.  “Count me in.  I will keep J’onn from killing you.”

“Great, and you can learn all about bridal parties with Alex and my wedding.  We need to talk to you about that anyway.”

“Excellent.”  M’gann smiled.  


	3. The Confidant

Maggie stood in the elevator at Catco, rocking slightly back and forth on her heels as she listened to the lyrical pop music play.  She checked the lighting buttons that were showing her ascent and smiled slightly to herself.  Looking around the enclosed room, she checked the inspection date, nodding as it was up to date and very recent, then letting her gaze wander again.  She did a double-take at the ceiling when she saw some oddly discolored tiles.  She was staring up at the ceiling when her phone buzzed.

Danvers: “Are u there yet?”

Maggie: “Almost.  I’m on my way up right now.  Did Kara mention any elevator problems at Catco?”

Danvers: “No.  Why, is something wrong with the elevator?”

Maggie: “I hope not.  I’m in it.”

Danvers: “???!!!”

Danvers: “Maggie, what’s going on?”

Maggie:  “Nothing.  It’s working fine.  Don’t worry.”

Danvers:  “I’m worried.  Update me on ur situation stat!”

The elevator dinged, and Maggie stepped off with a grin.

Maggie: “Update u stat.  Alex u romantic u.”

Maggie:  “Okay, I’m off the elevator and I’m here.  I’ll let u know when I’ve completed my mission.  Agent Sawyer, out!”

Danvers:  “Take the stairs down.”

Maggie:  “Fuck u!  I’m on like the 37th floor.”

Maggie:  “I’m taking the elevator!”

Danvers:  “Ask Kara for a lift.”

Maggie considered that.

“Maggie, what are you doing here?” Kara asked as she approached.

Maggie:  “Speak of the Kryptonian.  I’ll text u before I go.”

Danvers:  “Down the stairs.”

Dropping her phone back into her pocket, Maggie smiled broadly.  “Hey, Kara, you look great.  How are you doing?”

“Um, great!” Kara replied with a broad smile before she stepped in closer and pushed up her glasses.  “Is everything all right?  I mean, do you need...me?”  She lowered her voice and pointed to herself.

“Nah.”  Maggie waved casually and stepped past Kara as the blonde fell into step.  “I’m here to see Lena.  Her secretary, Eve, told me she was free right now and I ugh—” Maggie stopped suddenly when a strong hand gripped her arm.

“No.”  Kara shook her head briskly.

“No, she’s not free?”

“Maggie, no.”

“Uh, Little Danvers, you’re kind of cutting off blood flow here.  Do you think you could…?”  Maggie pried at Kara’s unyielding fingers but had to wait for the other woman to release her grip on her own.  “Thanks.  So, Lena is or isn’t in right now?”

“Well, she is but—”

“And she is or isn’t in a meeting?”

Kara looked to where Lena stood by Eve’s desk, Lena showing the secretary something on a tablet.  When Kara looked back, Maggie’s gaze moved from where Lena was standing to meet Kara’s.  “Well, I mean she’s working right now so—”

“But she’s not in a meeting.  Cool.  I’m just going to—” Maggie took two steps and walked directly into Kara, the other woman with arms crossed.  “That was really fast.  Okay, what’s your damage?  Why am I persona non grata all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know what you think she did, but she didn’t do it,” Kara assured staring down at Maggie.

“What I think who did?”

“Lena,” Kara clarified.  “Whatever you think she did, she didn’t do it.  I was with her.”

“You were…?”  Slowly Maggie smiled, her dimples showing.  “Oh, Lena didn’t do it because you were with her.  When exactly were you with her?”

“Uh…” Kara paused with one finger held up, then bit her lower lip as she pointed at Maggie.  “When do you think she did it?”

Maggie’s smile grew, and with it, her dimples deepened.  “Oh, Little Danvers, you’re adorable.  You’re the worst liar I’ve ever met, and I don’t know how everyone in National City doesn’t know your secret, but you’re adorable.  Just chill.  I’m not here to arrest Lena.”

“You’re not?”

“Don’t look so surprised.”  Maggie patted Kara’s arm, carefully scooting past her to make progress through Catco again.  “I’m actually here to apologize for arresting her last time and to ask her to go grab some drinks with me.  You know, to become her friend.”

“Oh.  Well, Maggie, that’s awesome of you.”

“Isn’t it?  So, can I talk to your girl without getting thrown off the balcony?”

Kara laughed nervously.  “She’s not my girl.  Lena is my friend, my best friend, and my boss, but she’s not my girl.  She’s a girl, and she’s my friend, but she’s not my...you know my...heh…like a girl can be a friend without being a...you know.”

Maggie stopped and watched Kara flounder for several moments before she patted the younger woman’s arm.  “Just go back to your desk and get some work done.  I promise not to arrest anyone, okay?”

Kara’s head bounced back and forth and then she smiled.  “Okay, Maggie.”

As Kara walked away, Maggie shook her head and walked over to the CEO.  “Hey, Lena, you have a moment?”

“Detective.  Is there a problem?”

“I’m not here in an official capacity.  It’s just Maggie right now.”

“Ah.”  Lena nodded.  “Well, Maggie, is everything all right?  Is Kara…?”  Lena looked over at the blonde who waved rather excitedly, so she waved back from just her fingertips.  Walking off to the side and encouraging Maggie to follow, Lena dropped her voice down.  “Is Kara’s sister all right?”

“Alex?  Sure.  Everything is fine.  I just wanted to talk to you.  Do you have a minute?”

One arm crossed over her center and rubbing the back of her neck with the other, Lena nodded.

“It’s nothing bad, I promise,” Maggie assured.  “Actually, I just wanted to apologize to you.”

“Whatever for?”

“For the arrest.  I feel awful about that.  It should never have happened.  I know it hurt you both personally and professionally, so I—”

Waving her hand about, Lena smiled from one side of her face.  “Water under the bridge, Detective.”

“It’s still Maggie.”

“Right, Maggie.  I apologize.”

“No, I’m apologizing.  Lena, I screwed up.  I should have pushed back on my Lieutenant.  That’s on me.  Sure, I got the order to arrest you, and maybe I still would have had to do it, but I didn’t argue against it.  I followed orders, and blind obedience isn’t my job.  My job is to serve, but it’s also to protect.  You’re one of the citizens of National City, and I failed to protect you.  That landed you in jail which is exactly where they wanted you, and that almost got you killed.  That’s on me.”

“That was on my mother, Detec...Maggie.  My mother framed me so that she could use me to access Lex’s vault.  Yes, in a perfect world people wouldn’t have been so quick to believe a Luthor was guilty, but I long ago stopped believing in a perfect world.  A perfect world requires perfect people.”  Lena’s gaze drifted past Maggie, over the detective’s shoulder, and she smiled slightly.  “I think we’re lucky if we meet a few very good people in our lives.”

Glancing over her shoulder, Maggie grinned at Kara before she looked back at Lena.   “Well, I may not be Kara Danvers good, but I’d like to give you a better shake than I’ve given you in the past.  Will you give me a second chance?”  She held out her hand.

Lena shook it.  “Consider it given.  Now, if there isn’t anything else—”

“What are you doing tonight?”

Eyebrows high, Lena asked, “Excuse me?”

“You, tonight, what are you doing?”

“Well, it’s Wednesday.  I’m working.”

“No, I mean after working.”

“A nightcap or two and then sleep I expect.”

Maggie shook her head.  “In between those two things.  Like, what do you do when you leave work?”

“I check stock prices on my drive home, have a drink, then crawl into bed.”

Eyes narrowed, Maggie asked, “You go home at five o’clock and go right to bed?”

“Oh, dear Lord, no.  I’ll be lucky if I get out of here before midnight.  I’m the CEO of two fortune five hundred companies.  Even with Sam doing a fabulous job at L-Corp, I still have so much to do.  I could work eighteen hour days and still not get it all done.”

“But you don’t.”

Lena shrugged.

“When do you sleep?”

“When I leave work,” Lena reminded.

“Which is not the same day that you go into work.”  Maggie shook her head.  “Nuh-uh.  You need a night out.  We’re going out tonight.”

“Look, Detective—”

“Eh!”

With a sigh, Lena said, “Sorry, Maggie.  Something about a business atmosphere, it makes me forget.”

“You keep this up; I will arrest you.”

Suddenly Lena’s head jerked up as she looked over Maggie’s shoulder again.

Turning, Maggie looked at where Kara was now standing, the blonde glaring in their direction. “I was kidding.  I’m joking with her,” Maggie whispered.

Her mouth a tight line, Kara sat down hard onto her chair but continued to watch the other two women.

When Maggie turned back around, Lena said, “I wonder what has her upset.  She’s usually so happy.  Maybe I should go speak to her.”

“I think she and Alex are spatting about something.  Just let them sort through it.  You know, family.”

“Ah.”  Lena blinked not really giving any sort of clear reaction.

“Yeah, me neither, actually.  I don’t actually, um...I don’t really have family.”

Hesitantly, Lena reached out and gently squeezed Maggie’s forearm.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t realize.”

Maggie shrugged.  “Yeah, my folks kicked me out for being gay when I was a kid.  I tried to reconnect with them after Alex and I got engaged but...but my mom…” Maggie shook her head.

“Ah.” Lena nodded, her face still placid.  “Well, if it helps, Maggie…” Lena held both of her hands out in front of herself palms up.  “You’re welcome to my mother.”

Maggie stared at the younger woman for several seconds and then burst out laughing.   One hand on her side, she grabbed Lena’s arm to steady herself as the guffawing continued.  Finally, standing upright again and wiping a tear away, Maggie said, “Oh, that’s it, Luthor.  You have got to go out with me and grab some drinks.  No one can have that good a sense of humor about our shitty families and not be my friend.  I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Well, I...suppose one night won’t make a difference.”

“Awesome!  You want me to pick you up?”

“Do you have a car?”

“I’m a detective, as you’ve mentioned several times.  With that I have access to a car.  It even has doors and a roof.”  Maggie grinned.

“I...see.  I tell you what; why don’t I pick you up?  Text me your address, and I can get you by...eight o’clock?”

“Six-thirty it is!”  Maggie waved as she walked away.  “See you then!”

Hurrying after the detective but not keeping up, Lena said, “Maggie, there’s no way I can make it there by six-thirty.  I have too much to do!”

“Okay, see you at seven!” Pushing the button for the elevator, Maggie stepped inside when it opened almost immediately.

“But, I…” Lena stood shaking her head.

Pressing the button for the ground floor, Maggie called out, “Seven-fifteen, final offer!”

“Fine.  I’ll do my best!”

“That’s all any of us can do!” Maggie replied.  “Bye, Kara!”

“Bye, Maggie!”  As she walked up to Lena, Kara tried for and almost managed a casual tone.  “So, what did Maggie want?”

“To sabotage my businesses.”

“No.” Kara elbowed Lena a bit too forcefully and had to catch the other woman who suddenly stumbled away.  “Sorry.  Really, though, what did Maggie want?”

“She wanted to apologize for arresting me and for me to go out and have drinks with her.  I think she’s trying to make herself feel better about it.  It’s quite a bother.”

“Lena, she just wants to be your friend.”

Looking up from her folded hands, Lena asked, “You think?”

“Why wouldn’t she?  You’re amazing.”

With a small sigh, Lena smiled at Kara then grasped the blonde’s forearm, “Hey, are you all right?”

“Of course.  I’m great.”

“Are you sure?  Is everything okay with your sister?”

“Sure.”  Kara smiled brightly.

“Okay, but if you want to talk, you can always come to me.  You know that, right?”

“Always, thanks, boss.”

 

<><> 

 

As the elevator opened below, Maggie stepped out and took her phone out of her jacket pocket.  

Maggie: “Okay, I have plans for tonight with the hot chick.  Don’t wait up. ;-) ;-)”

Danvers: “I will beat ur ass.”

Maggie:  “Flirt.”

Maggie:  “Seriously, though, thanks for sending me over to apologize.  I’m glad I did.  I feel better.”

Danvers:  “How’d she take it?”

Maggie:  “Like I didn’t owe her an apology.  She actually tried to apologize to me for calling me Detective instead of by my name.”

Danvers:  “Uptight much?”

Maggie:  “Definitely.  I’ll work on that.  She didn’t blame me at all.  She blames her mom for the whole thing.”

Danvers:  “Valid.”

Maggie:  “Maybe, but it made me feel guiltier.  Do u know she works past midnight every night?”

Danvers:  “Why?”

Maggie:  “She’s running 2 companies.  She bought 1 to keep that scumbag Edge from getting a media company.  She’s a good kid.”

Danvers: “Supergirl girlfriend level of good kid?”

Maggie:  “I can hear u smirking over text, Danvers.  I’m already on board.  Work on James.”

Danvers:  “Did u see him?”

Danvers:  “What did he say?”

Maggie:  “Nope so nothing.”

Maggie:  “I’ve got to get back to work.  I’m heading out around 7 tonight.  Will I see you?”

Danvers:  “Not until later.  I’m helping Winn work on our dangerous threat to Miss Luthor.”

Danvers:  “I’ll see u at home later on tonight.  Don’t stay up too late.  It’s a school night.”

Maggie:  “Don’t worry.  I don’t think Lena is a party hard kind of lady.”

Maggie:  “We’ll have a few drinks and I’ll see u at home.”

Danvers:  “K.  C ya, babe.”

Maggie paused briefly then added.

Maggie:  "Operation SuperCorp is a go."

Danvers:  "We're not calling it that!!!"


	4. Pandora's Box

Pistol in her hand, safety off, Alex rolled out of bed.  She could hear the whispering from the other room, a shuffle of feet; then something got knocked over.  The next voice was hushed, but there was a distinctive expletive, perhaps a titter, and then someone was shushing someone rather unsuccessfully.  Back pressed to the wall, Agent Danvers crept along the hallway with complete stealth.  She reached the corner and took a quick peek around, seeing two figures hunched closely together.  Making a quick decision, Alex crossed the open entryway to press herself against the other hallway wall and tuck in the corner once again out of sight.  There seemed to be no response from the intruders, so she reached around the corner, squinting against the glare even as she flipped on the light and took aim.

“Hands in the air where I can see them, Motherfuckers!  Nobody move!”

Her arms wrapped around a barely upright Maggie Sawyer, Lena Luthor stared over the slumped detective’s shoulder with wide eyes.  “I would, Agent Danvers, but I think I’d drop your girlfriend.”

Slowly, Alex stepped fully into the doorway and lowered her weapon, clicking the safety back into place.  “Lena?”

Swallowing hard, Lena nodded.

“What’s wrong with her?” Alex asked, stowing the weapon into a drawer as she passed by it on her way to the other two women.

“Ah...she may have had a bit to drink,” Lena replied with just a hint of a slur in her voice.

“Oh.” Alex pulled to a stop just short of grabbing Maggie, scratching the back of her head as she took in the scene of the drunken heiress and the blitzed detective in front of her.

“A little help?” Lena urged. “For a small woman, she’s fairly heavy.  I’d bet she has a lot of muscle mass.”

Alex smiled in a kindly, perhaps a bit of a playful, manner.  “You’d win that bet.  I’ll take her.”  Grabbing Maggie under the arms, Alex spun the smaller woman toward her.  “Come with me you lightweight.”

“Hmmm?  Who are you?  Where we going?”  Maggie slurred out as she stumbled toward the bedroom with Alex.

“We’re going to bed.  I’ll help you get undressed and—”

Suddenly Maggie windmilled at Alex in an attempt to land a blow.  “No!  Not going to bed with you.  No.  Just Alex!”

“What the…” Alex swatted away from the wild attack.  “Stop it, you idiot.  I am Alex.”

“Just Alex!” Maggie repeated, falling to the floor and finally stilling when Alex stepped back.

“I should have warned you of that.  She got a bit physical with me in the car and clocked me one when she felt I was getting...inappropriate.”

Alex surged closer to the CEO.  “What were you doing?”

Hands up and stumbling slightly as she backed away, Lena replied, “Nothing, I swear nothing wrong.  I was just putting her seatbelt on her.  I don’t know if it was something I said or the feel of it across her body, but she started yelling no and saying your name.  Then she thumped me along the jaw, see?”  Pointing to her jaw, Lena twisted her head.

Alex nodded, examining the area.  “It’s a little red, but it looks okay.  How does it feel?”

“Fine.  She’s rather uncoordinated at the moment.  I’m sure she could render me unconscious on a normal day, but not so thoroughly inebriated.”

“You were just buckling her in?” Alex clarified.

“Agent Danvers, not only would I not make advances on someone in a relationship, but if I were to be the sort of person to do so, it would not be to the fiancée of my best friend’s sister.  And, if I were the sort of person to do both those things, I would still not be the kind which attempts to take advantage of an intoxicated woman.”  Patting Alex rather messily on the arm, Lena added, “No, I am not one of those things let alone all three, I assure you.”

“I…” Alex nodded.  “I’m sorry, Lena.  Do you want me to get you an ice pack for your face before I put Romeo here to bed?”

A loud snore from Maggie punctuated their discussion.

Alex sighed. “I really hope she didn’t upset you.  Maggie did want to apologize to you and get to be your friend.”

Lena smiled.  “I actually thought it was rather sweet her being so sure of her love for you even in this alcoholic haze.  Everyone should find a love like that in their life, don’t you think?”

Gently Alex smiled back.  “I do.  So, icepack?”

“I’m fine.  Do you need a hand with her?”

“Ah...grab her feet?”

“Right.  Can we take her boots off too?  She kicked a bit in my car.  Happily, it was just the back of the seat, but I’d prefer it not be me.”

“Oh, sure.”  Alex started to undo Maggie’s boots, glancing down at Lena and asking, “What happened to your shoes?”

“My shoes?”  Studying her own feet, Lena wiggled her toes.  “My, that’s a good question.  They’re in my car I think?”

“You...ugh...You think?” Alex tossed one of Maggie’s boots off to the side before unlacing the other.  “You don’t remember?”

“To be fair, there was quite a bit of alcohol.  I hadn’t meant there to be that much.  I certainly didn’t order it, but it just kept coming.”

Throwing the other boot to the side, Alex said, “Right, I’ll take her shoulders, you take her knees.  Follow me to the bedroom, okay?”

“Best offer I’ve had in almost an hour,” Lena said with a sultry smirk.

Hands under Maggie’s shoulders, Alex looked up wide-eyed and stared at the CEO.

The smile falling off her face, Lena nodded once.  “Sorry.  I’m drunk.  I’ll try and keep a lid on that.  Not flirting is not my strong point even when I’m sober.”

“Really?”  Shaking her head, Alex said, “On three...One, two, three.”

Together they hefted a sleeping(ish) Maggie and carted the woman to the bedroom.  It was a bit of a struggle as Maggie was deadweight and Lena was made for corporate takeovers not carrying unconscious detectives. They finally managed to get Maggie into the bedroom and onto the bed without knocking the woman’s head into anything hard on the way.

“Great, thanks for that,” Alex said as she started to unbuckle Maggie’s belt, keeping an eye on the snoring woman’s possibly flying left hook.  “So, you didn’t order drinks, but they just kept coming, huh?  Did my fiancée set out to get you liquored up?”

Turned to the wall as soon as she saw the belt come off, Lena replied, “Nothing like that.  Maggie directed us to a little place called Pandora’s Box.  Do you know the club?”

“Pandora’s…!”  Looking up and seeing Lena’s back, Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head down at Maggie.  “Oh, yeah, I know Pandora’s Box.  Maggie took you there, huh?”

“She did.”

“Have you…uh.”  Alex tossed Maggie’s pants to the floor.  “Have you ever been there before, to Pandora’s Box?”

“Never,” Lena admitted.  “It did take me back to my last year of college though.”

“Your last year of college?”  Unbuttoning Maggie’s cuffs, Alex asked, “Why your last year?”

“Well, there was this lovely ladies only club that was 18+ on Thursday nights, but I wasn’t eighteen until my senior year.  Technically I turned eighteen in my junior year, but I was working on two degrees, midterms, and had an internship, so it just wasn’t an option.”

“You were a senior working on two degrees at eighteen?”

Arms crossed around her body, Lena nodded at the wall.

“And people called me an overachiever,” Alex mumbled.  “So, why all the drinks you didn’t order?”

“Well, and I don’t mean to sound like a braggart, but I’ve always been popular with the ladies.  I don’t do anything to earn it, but I just seem to get along better with women than with men.  Tonight, as soon as we sat at the bar, the bartender placed a drink in front of me.  I hadn’t ordered it.”

“Someone bought you a drink before you sat down?”

Lena shrugged.  “It’s odd.  I know.  Maggie told the bartender we didn’t order it, but she told Maggie some woman had sent it over to me.  I tried to send it back.”

“She’s under the covers.  You can turn around now.”

Turning, Lena said, “Thank you.  I truly was quite respectful to your fiancée.”  

“I can see that.  I apologize for ever assuming otherwise.”

Lena shrugged. “I am a Luthor.”

Wincing at the younger woman’s easy acceptance, Alex asked, “You said you tried to send the drink back.  Would the woman not take it?”

Gathering Maggie’s clothes from the floor, Lena replied, “No, it was Maggie.  She said, ‘Don’t be rude.  Shut your trap Luthor and accept the free booze.’  I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

Alex laughed.  “That sounds like Maggie.”

“It sounded like her all night,” Lena agreed.  “It just made for a long evening though.  I was there to get to know Maggie, try to make a friend as Kara suggested, and for some reason, women kept sending me drinks.  It was ridiculous.”

Watching Lena squatting on the floor, Alex stared at the CEO’s ass, quickly turning away when the brunette stood with folded clothes in her arms.  “Heh, yeah ridiculous.  You didn’t have to do that you know.”

“Where should I put these?”

“On the chair would be great.”  Alex pointed in the direction of the chair in the corner, looking away when Lena reached it and bent over.  “So, lots of drinks, huh?”

“So many drinks.  I told Maggie I didn’t think accepting them was appropriate, would send the right message, but Maggie said, ‘Luthor, shut your trap, free booze.’ So I told her I didn’t need free booze and she said, ‘Luthor, speak for yourself.  No, don’t.  Just shut your trap.  Free booze.’  I told her I was perfectly capable of buying drinks, and Maggie said, ‘Luthor, I can’t just buy this bar, so just shut your trap, wave at the ladies, and give me your drinks.  Free booze.’ She said free booze a lot.  Also, apparently I have a trap, and I need to learn to shut it.”

Brows furrowed, Alex asked, “How many drinks did she have?”

“I honestly have no idea.  She gave me her drinks, though the bartender did shut her off at some point.  Thus I’m in a much better condition, and she took whatever was sent to me.  I also had to drink anything that was sent to her as she has a fiancée.  That would be you.  She loves you a lot.  She was rather...vocal about it.”

“Vocal?”  Alex blinked.  “What does vocal mean.”

“Not so much loud but frequent in her admission of love for you.  Then she tried to convince me I should find a woman as amazing as you and settle down while at the same time telling me no one on this Earth was as amazing as you.  It was quite the contradiction.”  Lena nodded.  “She’s hammered.”

“On this Earth or from this Earth?”

“What?”

“Ah…”  Shaking her head, Alex smiled and stood from the bed.  “Nothing.  Hey, thanks for bringing this hot mess home to me in one piece.  Are you going to be okay to get home from here?  You’re welcome to crash on the couch.”

Walking back to the living room, Lena swayed a bit but gestured casually.  “No, my car is downstairs, and I have an early morning at Catco.  I’ll just be—”

Grabbing Lena’s arm, Alex asked, “Your car is downstairs?  Did you drive here?”

“Yes,” Lena nodded with a smile that fell off her face as the angry agent stared her down.   “What?”

“You drove in this condition?  You got behind the wheel of a car with my fiancée in this condition, Luthor?”

Lena stared for a few more seconds, then leaned on Alex’s arm.  “Oh, oh no.  I didn’t drive the car.  I’m drunk.”

“Well, she didn’t drive!” Alex said angrily, pointing back at the bedroom.

“Certainly, not.  She offered to pick me up in her car, but I refused.  Good thing that.  No, my driver is downstairs waiting for me.  We were driven.”

Her anger instantly deflating, Alex’s shoulders slumped.  “Right.  I’m sorry...again.  I shouldn’t have—”

“Oh, it’s fine.  Afterall, I am—”

“No.  No more of this, ‘I am a Luthor’ crap.  I’m in the wrong, and I’m sorry.”  Quickly embracing Lena, Alex stepped away.  “Thank you for taking care of her and having better character than I’m a judge of character.  Forgive me?”

Blinking rapidly, Lena nodded once.  “I’m just going to leave before you yell at me or hug me again...or before I say something inappropriate.  I do that sometimes.  Good night, Agent Danvers.”

“It’s Alex.”

Waving over her shoulder as she left, Lena stumbled a bit and said, “I knew that.”

Alex smiled as she watched the younger woman walk away.  When Lena had made it into the elevator, she moved to the window so she could make sure Lena made it into the car, driver assisted, and left.  Back in the bedroom, Alex curled up in bed next to Maggie who was snoring away.  Kissing Maggie’s temple, she pulled the smaller woman in close.

As Alex hummed into Maggie’s skin, she said, “Okay, good work, Sawyer.  She’s a sweet kid, and she needs a friend.  You’re going to pay for this one in the morning though.  I think you may have had a bit too much to drink.  Maybe no more free booze for a while.”

Suddenly Maggie tensed though she didn’t seem to wake up.  Muttering something in her sleep, she stirred in Alex’s arms and clearly said, “Only Alex.  No…Only Alex.”

“Shhhh…Shhh, babe.  It’s me,” Alex replied gently holding her fiancée close and whispering calming words until the smaller woman quieted and fell fully asleep again.  “It’s me.  Only Alex.  Only Maggie.”  Once more she laid a kiss on Maggie’s temple before snuggling back in to drift off again for the night and adding, “I do.”


	5. The Kryptonian, the Lesbian, and the Thespian

“Hey, Kara.  How...How are...How are you doing today?” Alex said into her phone, pausing and starting again between loud sounds in her apartment.

 _“Alex, what is that awful noise?”_  Kara replied.

“Oh, um...That’s Maggie.  She isn’t feeling too well this...this morning.  She called in sick for work.”

“Oh, God...Oh, God…” Maggie moaned in the background before she dry-heaved.

_“Great Rao above, she sounds miserable.  I can hear her without the phone.”_

Alex gave a slight chuckle.  “Yeah, she is pretty loud.”

_“No, I’m serious, Alex.  You forget my hearing.  Now that I know to listen, I can hear her without the phone.  What’s wrong with her?  Do you want me to come over?  I can’t get sick.”_

“No, no.  It’s not catching,” Alex assured.  “I was just calling to check in on Lena.  How’s she…”  Alex winced at another loud noise from her fiancée.  “How’s she doing?”

_“Lena’s fine.  Why would you ask?”_

“Did she make it into work on time today?”

_“I guess.  I have no idea what time she comes in, but she was here before me.”_

“Really.  Huh.  What time did you get in?”

_“A little before eight.  Alex, why are you asking about Lena?  Should I be worried?”_

“No, it’s just that she and Maggie were out last night and they both were drinking.”  This time Alex stopped entirely at Maggie’s vocality.  “Sorry about that.  Maggie had a lot more to drink.  Lena brought her back basically passed out, but Lena was pretty tipsy, and it was after 2:00 AM.  I expected her to wake up hungover and probably come in late.  She’s okay?”

 _“She looks fine to me,”_ Kara replied, an obvious smile in her voice.

“Well that’s...good.  Okay, I’m just checking.  She was very sweet last night, took good care of Maggie.  You know, I really like her.”

 _“Me too,”_ Kara agreed.   _“I’m glad you’re getting on board with Lena and my friendship.  She’s important to me.  Thanks for being supportive.”_

“Oh, I’m supportive.  I’m incredibly supportive, Kara.  You have no idea how supportive I am.”

_“Why are you being weird?”_

“I’m not.  I’m being...supportive.”

_“O-kay.  So nothing’s going on with Lena that I should know about?”_

“No.  Nothing is going on with...actually, there is a little something.”

 _“What is it?”_ Kara asked, her tone serious.

“It could be nothing.”

_“That means it might not be.”_

“But it probably is nothing.”

 _“Probably isn’t definitely, Alex.  What’s going on?”_ Kara asked, more concern bleeding into her voice.

“Kara, relax.  Right now it’s just chatter.  We just picked up Lena’s name in some communications, and we’re following up on it.”

_“We the DEO we?”_

“Yes, we the DEO,” Alex confirmed.  “Like I said; it’s nothing right now.  For all we know, someone just referenced her when talking about Lillian, or maybe they’re talking about L-Corp.  Hey, this could even be something old that just surfaced, something from a few months back.  Like I said, totally nothing.  But…”

 _“But…?”_ Kara echoed.

“Until we know it is nothing, just keep an eye on her.  Why don’t you have lunch with her today, maybe even see if she wants to have dinner.  She’s supposed to be learning about the media biz from you.  Maybe you could suggest you make it a working lunch?”

_“I could do that.”_

“Not too much working though,” Alex quickly added.  “Just the right amount of working with the right amount of socializing added in.  Can you do that?”

_“Uh sure.  Lena’s my friend.  We always socialize.  I’ll see about lunch and dinner with her.  Good ideas.  Thanks, Alex.”_

“Great and I’ll...ugh.”  Alex turned toward the bathroom again.  “You okay sweetie?”

“...kill...me…”

“Yeah, I’ve got to go, before Maggie finds where I hid her service revolver and takes the easy way out of this hangover.”  

_“Yikes.  Okay, keep me in the loop about what the DEO finds out about Lena, okay?”_

“Will do.  Bye, little sister.”

_“Bye, and thanks again, Alex.”_

Disconnecting, Kara put her phone down on the desk and turned to look through the glass wall of James’ office where Lena was going over photos for the next magazine with him.  She looked back and forth between them, smiling to herself.  With a big breath, hiking her shoulders up and letting them fall, Kara rose and almost bounced as she came to a stop just outside the entrance to the office.

“Knock, knock,” Kara said as she stood smiling at the open doorway.  “Do you have a moment?”

Both people turned to her, but it was James who said, “Sure, Kara, what do you need?”

Stepping into the office, Kara replied, “Actually, I wanted a moment of Lena’s time.  Lena?”

“Oh, certainly.  What do you need, Kara?  Something about a story?”

“No.  I mean, not exactly.  It’s more like…”  Adjusting her glasses, Kara slid a bit closer.  “Do you have lunch plans?”

“Not in particular,” Lena admitted.

“Great.  Have lunch with me?”

Checking the time on her wristwatch, Lena replied, “Isn’t it a bit early for that?  I know you have a healthy appetite, but I don’t even put cream in my breakfast coffee.”

Kara snorted with laughter.  “Cream...breakfast coffee.  Lena, you’re funny.  James, isn’t Lena funny?”

“Uh, hysterical.”  James smiled oddly at Kara.  “It is pretty early for lunch, Kara, even for you.”

“Right.  Not lunch, not now I mean.  Later though, would you like to have lunch with me later, Lena?  I thought we could go over some notes I’ve taken on past articles.  We could discuss the stages of an article...if you wanted.”

“Well, that sounds lovely, Kara.  I can have Eve get us reservations at—”

“No.”  Head shaking, Kara smiled nervously.  “We’ll get more done here, don’t you think?  I can pick up our usual lunch order from Noonan’s, and we can eat here around noon?”

“Sounds lovely.  Is there anything else?”

“That’s it.  Good luck with your photo spread.”

“We don’t need luck.  We have Jimmy’s photographic genius,” Lena said reaching over and gently touching James’ forearm.

“Jimmy?”

James nodded.  “Talk to you later, Kara.”

“Right, talk to you later...James.”  Heading back to her desk, Kara sat and watched Lena and James return to the photos as she muttered to herself.  “Why is she calling him Jimmy?  I thought he hated that nickname.”

 

<><> 

 

The knock on the door of Alex’s apartment went unanswered.  After maybe twenty seconds, there was a second knock.  There was another pause, then a jangle of keys.  Kara let herself in, looking around the apartment.

“Alex?”  Glasses slid down her nose, Kara peered a bit then headed to the bedroom where she knocked gently on the door and whispered, “Alex?”

Lifting her head from the pillow where she lay next to Maggie, Alex said, “Oh, hey, Kara.  What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to see if you knew anything on the Lena situation.”

“The Lena situation?”  Brows creased, Alex took a moment to recall then said, “Oh, you mean the chatter at the DEO.  Hold on.  Let’s go into the living room so Maggie can sleep.”

Alex grabbed her cellphone from the table, and the two women made their way into the living room.  Kara made a pitstop in the kitchen, grabbing some leftover pizza on the way.

“You want any?” Kara asked, holding up a slice.

Alex held up a hand in response.  “I’m good.  Maggie had pizza for dinner, and I got to see that make a comeback.  It wasn’t pretty.”

“I heard.  How much did she have to drink?

“From what Lena said, half the bar.  Apparently, a lot of women were buying Lena     drinks, and Maggie was drinking anything that women were sending to Lena.”

Lowering a slice of pizza back into the box, Kara asked, “Why were women buying Lena drinks?”

“Because she’s hot.”

“Um...so?”

Grinning, Alex said, “Kara, Lena and Maggie went to Pandora’s Box, a lesbian club.  By the time they made it to the bar, someone had already bought Lena a drink.  Some women think she’s hot.  Go figure.”

“Yeah, go figure,” Kara said with nervous laughter.  “Hey, do you don’t think James does, think she’s hot I mean.”

“James and Lena, no I don’t think that...uh, maybe.  I could see that.  He’s a good-looking guy, c-suite level, and they work closely together.  Sure, that could happen.”  Alex watched her sister closely.  “Have you seen anything that makes you suspicious of them?”

“Not usually.  I didn’t think James even trusted Lena, but he’s letting her call him Jimmy.  I thought he only let Clark and Lois do that.  Doesn’t that seem suspicious?”

“Actually, it does.  Maybe he’s up to something.”

“Something romantic?”   Kara asked.

“It...could be.  If anyone else is interested in Lena, I think they should do something about it now.  It’s kind of a ‘speak now or forever hold your peace’ kind of moment.  You know what I mean?”

Kara examined her hands for a long moment, nervous fingers making troubled paths over each other and across her palms.  Finally, head lifted and fingers stilled, she asked, “So, learn anything on the Lena front?”

“Well…” Alex pressed the button on her phone, lighting the screen.  “Actually, Winn should be here any minute with an update for me.  I’m surprised to see you here this early.  I thought you’d still be at lunch.”

“Oh, well, I worked through lunch, a working lunch with Lena I mean, and then I was chasing down some information for a story.  I got what I needed for that for now, so I thought I’d drop in on you, check up on the Lena situation, and see how Maggie’s feeling.  How’s Maggie feeling?”

“She’ll live though she was swearing otherwise a few hours ago.”  Alex grinned.  “She’s sworn off alcohol for life.”

“That won’t last.”

“Agreed, though maybe we’ll get a designated driver for a few nights.  She really did have a lot to drink.  Apparently, Lena is really popular with the ladies.  That’s quite the surprise, huh?”

“Yeah.”  Kara took several large bites of her pizza, fitting most of half of a slice in her mouth.

The Kryptonian was still chewing when there was a knock on the door.  “That would be Winn.  I’ll get it.”  Her sister only nodded, shoving more food in her mouth, in response, and Alex rose and answered the door.  “Hey, Winn. Thanks for coming by with the update.  Look who was able to join us.  It’s Kara.”

Waving excitedly from the couch, Kara smiled with a mouthful of pizza.

“Kara.  Kara is here, on your couch, joining us for this briefing.  Alex, I did not know Kara was joining us.  Did you know Kara was joining us?”  Winn stared nervously at Alex.

“Nope.  She just dropped in unannounced.”  Patting Winn on the shoulder, Alex closed the door behind him.  “It’s convenient though, right?  Now you can brief us both at the same time.”

“I...I...I can do that.  Sure, I can do that.”  Winn nodded, face falling forward as he scratched at the back of his head.  He sat on the couch and pulled his laptop out of his bag.  “Now keep in mind this is all still really preliminary, so I’ll have more information eventually.”

“But there’s information to be had?” Alex asked.

“Uh, yeah.” Winn popped open his laptop, powering it up and typing, bringing up several windows.  “What does Kara know so far?”

“Basically nothing,” Kara admitted.  “Alex told me you guys picked up some information with Lena’s name, but that it just might be old stuff.  It’s not old stuff?”

“It’s not old stuff,” Winn agreed.  “Ever hear of Ognjen Janković?”

Kara shook her head.

“Wait.” Alex shuffled forward slightly on the loveseat.  “Serbian assassin, died three years ago in Detroit?  That Ognjen Janković?”

“Yes, but he’s not dead,” Winn replied.

“Uh, yes he is.  I was on that mission, Winn.  Janković was in that house when it blew up.  I saw him go in, and we had the place surrounded.  The thing was a fireball.  We recovered the body.  He was dead.”

Winn shrugged.  “We recovered a body, but Janković never left any DNA evidence at any of his kill sites.  We have him listed as dead, but based on the information I’m tracking, the payment history I recorded, and this picture, Ognjen Janković is very much alive today.”

Winn turned his laptop, showing the image of a man with a strong jaw with a light scruff, low brow, gray eyes, fairly closely cut hair that was a dirty blond, and obvious broad chest.  He looked up into the camera with a glare while people bustled in the background.

“Holy fuck.”  Alex wiped her hand over her mouth.  “That’s Ognjen Janković.  Winn, when was this taken?  Where was this taken?”

“Metropolis Airport, just this morning.”

“And you’re sure this was—”

“Alex.”  Winn nodded.  “Someone made a very large cash transaction to an account Janković accessed the day before, but he’s since moved the money out.”

“How large?” Kara asked.

“Quarter of a million dollars,” Winn replied.

“Great Rao.”  Kara tossed the pizza box, pizza and all, onto the table.  “And he’s an assassin?”

“One of the deadliest,” Alex confirmed.  “I don’t understand how this could have happened.  I saw him go into that building.  There’s no way that...I…”

“Alex, there were a dozen other agents on site.  Everyone confirmed he was dead.  I read the report,” Winn said.  “This isn’t your fault.”

“He’s headed to National City now?”

“He may already be here.”

Jumping to her feet, Kara yelled, “What!?”

“Kara relax.  These guys, they don’t do anything until they get the rest of their payment.  The initial payment got him out of hiding.  He won’t make a move against Lena until he has payment in full.”

“But she’s the target,” Kara confirmed.

Winn glanced over to Alex, waiting for the nod in return before he looked at Kara and said, “She’s the target.”

“I’ve got to get to her!”

“Kara, just wait a second,” Alex began.

“No time!  Lena needs protection!”  As Kara ran up and over the loveseat on her way to the windows, and she said, “Thanks, Alex!  Love you, Winn!”  Throwing open a window, Kara took to the sky on her way back to Catco.

Trotting over to the window, Alex shook her head and closed the open window.  “She’s flying around in a cardigan and tan slacks.”

“I think she got excited.”

“Tell me about it.  She got us confused at the end there.”

“Hey, Kara-bear loves me,” Winn argued.

Sitting back down on the loveseat, Alex pointed at the image on the laptop.  “Okay, I’m about halfway to jumping out the window after her.  Tell me you faked that somehow and Ognjen Janković is not alive.”

“This image is very much real and came from Metropolis Airport as of this morning,” Winn smirked.

“Winn.” Alex’s tone was a warning.

“Okay.  It’s M’gann.  She did pose for the picture out east this morning.  She looks scary, doesn’t she?”

“She scared the shit out of me,” Alex agreed.  “Did you give James a head’s up?”

“No.  Think we should?”

“We should but…” Alex grinned.  “Yeah, we have to.  Right now, Kara is going to be even less capable of forming a cohesive sentence than normal, and James doesn’t want to help us with this.  I’ll call him.”  Pulling out her phone, Alex brought up her contacts and scrolled for James.  “Oh, and Winn, sorry for dropping Kara on you like that.  She just dropped in on me.  You did a great job.”

“Thanks,” Winn replied with obvious pride.  “I was a little surprised to see her.  I thought I’d just be updating you, not performing for an audience.”

As the phone rang, Alex smiled at him.  “Well, you’re a great thespian.”

Brows creasing, Winn frowned.  “I’m a what?”


	6. Letting the Kryptonian Out of the Bag

Kara paced back and forth in the Catco main area.  She watched as the last reporter closed their laptop, walking away from their desk and going home for the evening.  With a heavy sigh, Kara removed her glasses and scanned the whole floor.  Everyone but Lena, James, and she had gone home, and the cleaning crew had yet to come in for the evening.  Checking her watch showed they wouldn’t be in for over an hour.  That was plenty of time for what needed to be done.  Putting her glasses back on, Kara nodded to herself, squared her shoulders, and headed toward the conference room where Lena was planning to work until Kara joined her for dinner.

“You don’t have to do this,” James said with arms crossed and am impressive scowl on his face.  “We have options.”

“What options?”  Kara asked as she pulled to a stop in front of James.  “Lena is in danger.  The only option we have is to keep her safe, so that’s what I’m doing.”

As Kara stepped closer to him, James held out a hand.  “What if Lena weren’t in danger?”

“Well, that would be swell, but honestly, when isn’t she in danger, James?”

James paused.  “Okay, that’s a good point.  She needs to stop holding press conferences.  There’s just something about that woman and press conferences.”

“And this town and press conferences.  Put them together and…”  Kara puffed up her cheeks, blowing out air suddenly.  “Boom!”

James stumbled back from the gust the Kryptonian released, only staying upright when Kara grabbed his arms.

“Oops. Sorry.”

“It’s fine.  Anyway, Kara, if Lena didn’t have an assassin after her, would you want to go in there and tell her who you really were?”

“Who I really am?”  A smile slowly formed on Kara’s face.  “Yeah, yeah I would.  I’ve wanted to do it for a while.  Alex is right.  It’s my decision, not the DEO’s.  The only person I’ve gotten to tell because I wanted to tell was Winn.  Heck, Clark even told you without asking me, and that wasn’t cool.  I wish this had been on my terms, not because someone was trying to kill Lena, but given her track record, I may have been waiting forever if I waited for her life not to be in jeopardy.”

“Yeah, but what about—”

“James…” Grabbing him by the upper arms, Kara carefully lifted the man and placed him off to the side then patted his shoulder.  “Thanks for caring, but I’ve got this.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go protect someone from a Serbian assassin.”

James waited until Kara was in the room until he mumbled, “No you don’t.”  When Kara turned back to him, he smiled weakly and gave her a thumbs up.

Kara smiled back at James then cleared her throat as she walked the length of the room to see Lena.

Looking up at Kara, Lena smiled but then frowned slightly.  “Kara, I must have totally lost track of time.  I didn’t realize it was already…”  As she stood, Lena checked the time on her wristwatch.  “Oh, you’re early.  Are you coming to cancel because I still have a lot of work to do?”

“Lena, sit down.”  Kara slid into the chair closest to the CEO.

“It’s a sit-down conversation?” Lena asked her eyebrows rising even as she sat slowly.  

“I’m afraid so.”

She went for casual with her laugh as she asked, “Oh, good lord, who’s trying to kill me now?”

Kara nodded.

Lena blanched and swallowed hard.  “That was a joke.  I was joking.”

“Right.  Sorry.  It’s going to be okay.”

Rubbing the back of her neck, Lena smiled tightly.  “You know, I keep beating the odds, but they call them odds for a reason, Miss Danvers.  Eventually, you lose when you gamble.  So, are the police or the FBI on their way?  What are we looking at here?”

Head shaking, Kara replied, “Just me.”

Eyebrows rising quickly, Lena said, “Kara, no offense because you know I adore you, but if it were you against a kitten, I’d put money on the kitten.”

“I couldn’t fight a kitten,” Kara argued.

“My point exactly.”  Lena lifted her cellphone.

“Who are you calling?”

“The police.  If someone is trying to kill me—”

Kara took the phone from her hand.

“Kara!”

“Lena, you don’t need the police.  You see—”

“Well, I need someone who can deal with a killer.  We’ve already established the fact that you aren't even capable of dealing with an immature feline.  I’m assuming whatever this threat is, it’s bigger than a kitten.”

“Ah...much bigger,” Kara admitted.  “Serbian assassin bigger.  Apparently, he’s had some dealings with aliens in the past and—”

“Give me my phone.”  Hand held out, palm up, Lena flexed her fingers in and out repeatedly.

Standing and walking away, Kara took a deep breath.  “Lena, I want you to know I would have told you this no matter what.  This situation forced my hand but in a good way.  Well, not a good way.  I mean, someone trying to kill you isn’t a good way.  It’s never good when someone tries to kill you.”  Kara turned to face her friend.  “Lena, maybe fewer press conferences, okay?  Those things are like flames to a—”

“Kara?”

“Yes?”

“Does this Serbian assassin have a weakness to babbling?”

Brows pressed together, Kara replied, “I don’t think so.”

“Then give me my damn phone already!”

“Right. Sorry.”  Sliding Lena’s phone into her pocket, Kara turned her back on the other woman and pulled off her glasses.  “I’m just going to do it this way, okay?”

“Do what, and if it isn’t call the police, I’m storming out of here.  There are other phones, you know, and my patience is about done.”

Pulling out her hair tie and releasing her ponytail, Kara replied, “How about Supergirl?  Would she be good enough?”

“Perfect!  Get her here, and I’ll relax.”

Unbuttoning several buttons of her shirt, Kara replied, “That’s my plan.”  Eyes closed, Kara turned around and faced Lena.

There were several moments of silence.  With Kara’s extraordinary hearing she could follow Lena’s heartbeat, and it remained steady.  There was the rise and fall of the CEO’s breath which was also at a constant.  Then something shifted, Lena swallowed hard, uncomfortably, and shifted in the chair.  The next breath Lena released was jagged, from a throat that was constricted and through lungs that were squeezed too tightly.  Then there was motion, the sound of a chair pushing back and footsteps drawing closer and then further away.

Eyes open, Kara turned when Lena was no longer in front of her.  Spinning, she saw the CEO retreat from the room.  “Lena!”  Instantly she was behind the woman.  “Lena, let me explain.”

“Don’t.” The word hissed out between tight lips, a jaw clenched to keep in anything else.

“Please, just let me—”  She took Lena’s wrist but stopped speaking when the other woman froze and stared down at the contact.

Slowly, Lena lifted her face and glared at Kara, one eyebrow raised in warning.  “Remove your hand.”

“Sorry,” Kara said hastily withdrawing her hand.  As Lena headed off to James’ office, Kara rushed after the CEO.  “Just give me a moment to explain, please.”

“Didn’t go well, huh?” James asked, a little smile on his face.

Lena huffed out air.  “Not surprising you knew.  I’m sure you all had a great laugh about it.”

“Oh, come on, Lena, I wouldn’t—”

“Save it, Olsen,” Lena snapped.  Looking back and forth between them, she added.  “Well, you both got what you wanted.  I saved your damn company.  I’ll find someone to manage it for me because I certainly can’t be around the two of you.”  She grabbed her purse and her laptop bag, grumbling as she shoved her planner in the bag and headed back toward the conference room.

“Oh...crap.”  Kara put on her glasses and started to button up her shirt.

“I tried to warn you, Kara, but—”

“Not now!”

“Hey, don’t yell at me.  I didn’t do anything wrong.  I’m on your side.”

“Then be on my side, James.”  Lifting her arms, Kara slapped them down on the sides of her legs.  “Lena hates me.”

“Kara, she doesn’t hate me.”

“Pretty sure she does.”

“Did she say she hates you?”

Kara shook her head.  “That would require her talking to me.  She just stormed out of the room.  If I didn’t go after her, I don’t know if she’d have even said anything to me ever again.”

Arms crossed, James considered the situation.  “So, what do you want to do?”

“Uh...turn back time and tell Lena a long time ago so she wouldn’t hate me?”

“Okay, besides that?”

“Is ice cream and a blanket fort an option?”

“For you?  Always.”  James held open his arms.  “Come here.”

Kara stepped into James’ arms, allowing herself to be held until they both turned.  Lena strode through the main part of the office, not even looking at them.  She stopped by the elevator, pressing the button and waiting for it to open.

“I can’t let her go.  It’s not safe,” Kara whispered.

Tightening his grip, James held her close and said, “Just relax a minute.  Trust me.”

“But James—”

“Relax,” he repeated.  When Lena got into the elevator, still not looking at either of them, and the doors closed, James let Kara go.

“How is this a good plan!?”

“Kara, you can still beat her downstairs.  I just have a question for you first.  Ignore the fact that someone is trying to kill Lena.”

“Impossible.”

“Just try.  Pretend she’s mad at you because you didn’t tell her that you’re Supergirl before and now you have.  Your friend Lena, who happens to be a Luthor, just found out that you’re Supergirl and stomped out of here all pissed off.  What do you do?”

Brows furrowed, Kara studied her feet for a moment and then looked up.  “I want to talk to her, James.  She thinks this was some sort of joke or conspiracy.  It was never like that.  I’ve wanted to tell her for so long.  This is exactly the thing I was most afraid of, losing her friendship.”

“Well…” James pointed at the balcony.  “Go after her.”

With a big smile, Kara hugged James and stepped back.  In a flash she was in her Supergirl suit, handing him her clothes.  “Thanks, James.  Take care of these for me, won’t you?  Replacing clothes gets expensive.”  Then she was out of the room, off the balcony, and into the air.

Sighing, James pulled out his cellphone.  He brought up his contacts and made a call.  “Hey, well, Lena just left, and Kara flew after her.  It went poorly.  I hope you’re happy with yourself.”

 _“Poorly?  Define poorly,”_ Alex asked.

“Lena accused us of having a big laugh at her expense.  Then she packed up and stormed out of here.  Kara got all pouty.  I convinced Kara to go after Lena to talk.”

_“You did?”_

“Yes.  I told you I didn’t like this, but I asked Kara what she wanted to do.  That’s what she said she wanted to do.  The Kryptonian is already out of the bag.  Now we need to do damage control.”

_“Thanks, James.  Wait, Kara didn’t fly out of there is her normal clothes again, did she?”_

“No.  She changed this time,” James replied.

_“Did she take her phone?”_

“Uh…hold on.”  James checked the pockets of Kara’s pants finding not one but two cellphones.  “Uh, no she did not.  It looks like she may have Lena’s cellphone still.  I heard Lena asking for it back at one point.  There was some discussion about calling the police.”

_“Did they?”_

“No, Kara took Lena’s phone to stop her.”

Alex sighed heavily.   _“Okay, good.  Maggie should be able to head off anything that happens, but we still don’t need any 911 calls.”_

“Oh, that would be an issue, would it?”

_“Your sarcasm is noted.  Look, I’m going to try and raise Kara on her com.  Can you bring Kara’s clothes by?  Actually, I just need her phone so I can get it over to her.”_

“Yeah, I can do that.  It’s not like I have a life, right?”

_“Thanks for your help.”_

“Don’t thank me,” James replied.  “I didn’t want any part of it.”

 _“When Kara is happy and in love, when you realize what a good person Lena is, you’ll be grateful for the thanks, so thanks, James.”_ Disconnecting, Alex turned to Maggie, “So, things went pretty much as well as we thought they would.”

Leaning back on the couch and eating some hummus, Maggie asked, “Was there yelling and screaming?”

“Not yet, but Kara is flying after Lena even as we speak.”

“Oh, chasing after the girlfriend after a fight is a good sign.  I’ve made a lot of women angry.  I’ve had to do a lot of groveling.  I’m a groveling expert.  Tell Kara to come to me if she needs groveling tips.”

“Just eat your mush.  Kara left her cellphone at work, so I’m going to try and raise her on coms.”  Alex went to the bedroom and grabbed her com from where it was stored inside one of the cases on her belt.  Slipping it into her ear, she clicked it on.  “Kara, do you read me?”

There was a moment of silence, and then a response of, _“Alex, what’s wrong?  Is it Janković?  Is he here?  I have Lena’s car in visual range and—”_

“Kara, it’s not Janković.  I just want to talk to you.”

_“Oh, okay.  What’s wrong?”_

“I hear Lena kind of blew up at you.  How are you?”

Kara sighed.   _“Worried.  I screwed this up.  Lena’s feeling really betrayed, and I can’t blame her.  When I’m just being myself, not Supergirl, I spend more time with her than anyone else.  She’s my best friend, and yet she’s the one person in my life that doesn’t even know my real name.  That does kind of feel like a lie, doesn’t it?”_

“Kara, you don’t owe anyone that secret.  You were honest with her about yourself, about Kara, weren’t you?”

_“Well...mostly.  There were some things I couldn’t say.  Mostly it was lies of omissions.  I never said where I was from, how my parents died, that I had a cousin here, things like that.  It was about all the things I didn’t say and let her assume.”_

Alex nodded to herself.  “Sweetie, there are parts of all of us we don’t share with our friends.  There are just things we wish were different, things about ourselves we’re not proud of, so we keep them to ourselves.  Everyone gets to have that.”

_“But these were the things I wanted to share with my best friend.  It’s not like I lied about cheating on a test or going to the gym or something.  I lied about my species.  No, that’s not it.  I lied about the fact that her brother tried to murder my cousin and is in jail for the rest of his life for it.  I lied about her mother using my blood to try and kill all aliens.  I lied about...our connection.  Darn it, Alex, the day she and I met I lied to her.  I told her I was just tagging along with Clark, but I was there to x-ray her office and look for incriminating evidence.  I never apologized because that would mean admitting who I was.  The first thing I ever said to her was a lie.”_

Alex slumped down onto the couch next to Maggie.

“How’s it going?” Maggie asked.

Looking at her fiancée, Alex shrugged.  “Hey, Kar, you can’t change the past.  You can move forward from it now, though.  Outside of the day you and Lena met, did you ever lie to her except to hide your identity?”

_“No.  Well...crap.  There was that time Lillian was trying to get the isotope from L-Corp to make Medusa, and everyone thought Lena might be involved.  I told you it wasn’t Lena.  I told you.”_

“You told us.”

_“I was right.  I was right.”_

Alex sighed.  “You were right.”

_“Lena saved everyone.  If Lena hadn’t double-crossed her mom, do you know how many people would have died, Alex?  Do you?”_

“Kara.”  Alex sighed again even more heavily.  “Is this helping with the problem at hand?”

“What is she doing?” Maggie asked.

Cupping her com to block the sound of her voice, Alex whispered, “Lena walks on water.”

“Ah, that.”  Maggie nodded knowingly.  “Yeah, your sister isn’t in love with Lena Luthor.  It’s not at all obvious.

“I’m sorry, what was that, Kara?” Alex asked.  “Maggie was talking to me.”

_“Hi, Maggie.  Tell Maggie I say hi.”_

“Kara says hi,” Alex repeated.

“Hi, Little Danvers.”

“Maggie says hi.  Now that we’ve gotten the pleasantries out of the way, what’s the plan for getting Lena calmed down so you can play bodyguard?”

_“Um...I’m not sure.  I need to get her talking to me.  She just kind of rushed out of Catco and wouldn’t listen to me.  She was even mad at James because she assumed he knew.”_

“He did know.”

_“Yeah but...yeah.  Okay, so what do I do?”_

“Well, you talk to her.  When people are being idiots—”

_“Lena’s not being an idiot.”_

Jaw tight, Alex stared at Maggie for several moments before silently mouthing, ‘Lena walks on water.’ Clearing her throat, Alex said, “Right, but when people do, or when they’re doing something a bit hasty that could imperil their life because they’re upset, we remind them that there are two sides to every story.  They have a right to their feelings, but so do other people.  So, you let her be upset, but that doesn’t mean your friendship is over, right?”

_“Uh...right.”_

“Kara, Lena being upset doesn’t mean your friendship is over, right?”

_“Right.”_

“Kara, repeat after me.  Lena being upset doesn’t mean your friendship is over.”

_“Lena being upset doesn’t mean our friendship is over.  Yeah, yeah, you’re right, Alex.  Lena being upset doesn’t mean our friendship is over.  She can be as mad as she wants, but that doesn’t mean this friendship is over.  We’re best friends, and that doesn’t just end over one little fight.  I’m not going to let it.”_

There was a knock on the door, and Maggie got up to answer it.

“Good girl,” Alex said.  “What’s the game plan?”

_“No idea.”_

“That sounds like you,” Alex admitted.  “Are you up for some advice?”

_“Yes, please.”_

Winn walked in and dropped into a seat on the couch.  “What’s going on?”

Covering the com once again, Alex replied, “I’ve got Kara on coms.  Lena kind of...exploded when she told her she was Supergirl.  Now Lena is on the way home, and Kara is flying after her.”

“Like you do.”

Alex nodded.  “We’re trying to talk Kara through this prickly situation.”

Pulling out his phone, Winn said, “Want me to put her on speaker?”

“Can you do that?” Alex asked dropping her hand.

“Can I do that?  Please.  Alex, you insult me.”   Tapping buttons on his phone he said, “Just sit back and prepared to be impressed with my mad tech skills.”

Alex narrowed her eyes but said, “Kara, Winn is going to do some nerd shit so everyone can hear you, okay?”

_“Everyone?  Who’s everyone?”_

“It’s just me, Maggie, and Winn.”

 _“Oh, okay that’s…”_ Kara’s voice cut out from Alex’s com and started coming through the speaker in Winn’s phone.   _“That’s fine.”_

“Hey, Kara.  How’s my favorite alien?” Then with less confidence, Winn said, “Uh...don’t tell J’onn.”

“He’s a telepath.  He knows,” Maggie said as she walked in with three plates of Chinese food.

“Crap.” Winn took his plate, putting the phone on the table and slinking down in his seat.

“Okay, we have Kara on speaker to give her advice in dealing with the Lena situation,” Alex explained.

“Grovel,” Maggie said around a forkful of Pad Thai.  “When a woman is mad at you, always grovel.”

Alex glared.  “That’s your best advice?”

Shrugging, Maggie replied, “It works with you.”

“I’m a fan of ducking and running.  Does Lena throw things?  Lyra throws things...occasionally me.”

_“I’m invulnerable.”_

“Ah...convenient.  Maybe you should be dating Lyra.”

_“Does anyone have any helpful advice that’s actually... **helpful**?”_

Maggie lifted a hand, putting down her plate and taking a sip of her drink.  “Okay, be honest.  You’re an honest person, so that should be easy for you.  Plus, not being honest is what got you into this mess, right?”

_“Right.”_

“You’ve been feeling pretty lousy about being dishonest with Lena, so just come clean.  Tell her everything you’ve wanted to tell her.  Don’t hold back.  Just come clean.”  When Alex and Winn both turned on her with raised eyebrows, Maggie shrugged.  “Kid, this is your chance.  Anything you ever wanted Lena to know, tell her.”

_“An...anything?”_

“Sure.  What have you got to lose?”  Maggie asked.

_“Well...Lena.”_

“Kara, you won’t lose Lena.  She cares about you.  She loves you,” Alex assured.  “You two love each other, right?”

_“Like friends.”_

Gaze moving back and forth between the other two people in the room, Alex shook her head.  “Right, like best friends.”

_“Yeah, we do but...She’s getting out of her car.  Hold on.  I want to check her place.”_

Alex whispered, “Winn, can you mute us so she can’t hear?”

Nodding, Winn traded his plate for his cellphone and muted them.  “All set.  What’s up?”  He asked, replacing it on the table as he grabbed his plate and began to eat again.

“Anything we’re missing here?  I don’t know Lena terribly well.  I feel like we could use Sam’s advice.  She’s the only one that has any real Lena experience.”

“Except how do we explain the superhero flying outside Lena’s apartment right now?  Sam clued us into Lena having a thing for Kara.  Wait, we’re not thinking of outing Kara to Sam, are we?” Winn asked,

“Absolutely not.” Alex moved her hand through the air so quickly she nearly tossed her egg roll away.  “I like Sam, but we barely know her.  We need a much better reason to reveal Kara’s secret than this.”

“Yeah, getting Little Danvers laid isn’t a good enough reason.”

“Don’t...ugh.”  Alex’s face screwed up in distaste.  “Don’t say laid in relation to my sister.  Don’t...just don’t okay?”

Maggie shrugged.  “I have a lovely list of euphemisms I could supply.”

“Getting laid is a euphemism,” Winn said.  “Hey, I’m gonna grab a drink.  Anyone else?”

“Beer me,” Alex replied.

“That was a given.  Mags, you want a beer?”

“Ugh.”  Maggie recoiled at the thought.  “I’m never drinking again.”

“What did I miss?” Winn asked as he headed into the kitchen.

“Maggie went out with Lena and had a bit too much to drink!” Alex shouted after him.

“No, Maggie had a fuckload too much to drink,” Maggie clarified.  “You know, there was a point where I thought maybe I should stop, and then I realized we had a driver, so I had another drink.  Then there was another and…”  Maggie’s eyes shifted left and right.  “Honestly, it’s all a blur after that.”

“I’m pretty sure there was more alcohol, babe.  Then you tried to beat up both me and Lena.”

“At the same time?” Maggie asked.  “Knowing me, that could have been foreplay.”

Holding out Alex’s beer, Winn paused and stared at Maggie.  “So…I want to make a comment, but I feel like anything I say will get my ass handed to me by Alex.”

“Go with your gut on this one Schott,” Alex said.

There was a ‘tink, tink, tink’ noise from the phone, and everyone stopped talking and looked over at it.

“What was that?” Alex asked.

There was another sound, and then Kara said, _“Lena, can I come in?”_

“I think Kara was knocking on the balcony door,” Maggie supplied.

 _“Oh, come on, Lena.  Don’t just ignore me.”_  There was no reply, and then Kara added. _“Well, since you didn’t say no, I’m coming in.”_

“Good girl, Kara.” Alex said, tossing the last of her eggroll into her mouth.

 _“So, Lena, I know that you’re upset, but we should talk.”_  Another pause.  “ _That’s it?  You’re just going to glare at me?  You’re upset, and you’re—”_

_“I’m not upset, Kara!  I’m pissed!”_

_“O-O-Okay.  Okay, you’re pissed.  I can see how you could be pissed.  Still, we should talk, Lena.”_

_“I’m not talking to you!”_

Leaning toward the phone he had laid on the table, Winn said, “Lena sounds mad. I’ll unmute it in case Kara needs anything.”

Maggie grabbed Winn’s hand.  “Don’t.  Let’s just see where this goes.”

“Seriously?”

Alex nodded, shoveling a forkful of noodles into her mouth.

“Okay,” Winn said putting the phone back on the table as he sat down.  “I really think Kara could use our help though.”

“Our help?” Alex asked incredulously.  “Didn’t your current relationship pretty much start when Lyra tossed you against the wall at the bar and kissed you?”

“N...no.  It wasn’t...It wasn’t the wall.  It was like a...like a table,” Winn replied with a shrug.  “Anyway, didn’t you ambush Maggie with a kiss in the same bar?”

“Hey, I...shush, shush, shush.  They’re at it again,” Alex said as everyone leaned just a bit closer to the phone.

_“Why are you still here?”_

_“I thought you weren’t talking to me.”_

“That was a dumb thing to say, Kara,” Winn noted.  “Even I know that’s a dumb thing to say when a woman is mad at you.”

_“I’m not.  I’m yelling at you!”_

“See,” Winn said.  “Silence was better.”

“No, yelling is good,” Maggie countered.

_“Fine.  I...Lena, yell if you want, but I’m going to make sure you’re safe.  I‘m going to keep you safe, and I’m going to be your friend no matter what.”_

There was a quick laugh from Lena.   _“I’d rather be dead than have your supposed friendship.”_

_“Well, that’s just…ridiculous.  Lena, you’re being ridiculous.”_

_“No, what’s ridiculous, **Supergirl** , is me thinking I could ever trust you.  What’s ridiculous was a Luthor ever letting a Super within a hundred feet of them.  That’s what’s ridiculous.”_

_“Now you’re being even **more** ridiculous.  The day I showed up I saved your life because your brother was trying to kill you.”_

_“No!  The day you showed up in my life was with Clark Kent, my brother’s best friend at one time.  You claimed to be there so he could write a story, and you were just tagging along.  You were just there to snoop, weren’t you, **Supergirl**?  You were there because something had gone wrong, and the first thing a Super would do was blame a Luthor.  Oh, you had the reporter look down with your glasses, and timid looks, you even had…”_

_“What, what were you going to say?”_

_“It’s a secret, **Supergirl.**  You like secrets don’t you, **Supergirl**?”_

_“Why do you keep saying my name like that!?”_

_“Well, I can’t exactly call you Kara.  I don’t even know your name, so I’ll just keep calling you, **Supergirl.** ”_

_“Argh!  You are so aggravating!?”_

“Are you sure we want to hook your sister up with her?” Maggie asked.

“Shhh.”

_“My name is Kara, Kara Zor-El, so you know.”_

_“Hah!  A half-truth.  Well, that’s likely more than I’ve gotten out of you most times, so I suppose I should be grateful.”_

_“You could start by not being so mean!”_

_“No one’s keeping you here!  You can leave at any time!”_

_“Don’t think I’m not tempted!”_

_“Then go!”_

_“I can’t!”_

_“Why not!?”_

_“Because someone’s trying to kill you!”_

_“I don’t care!”_

_“Well, I do!  I happen to care a lot about you!  You’re my best friend!”_

_“Who you’ve been lying to since the day you met!”_

_“Yes!  Yes, all right!  I’ve been lying to you, and I’m sorry!  I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner!  I’m sorry you had to find out when your life is in danger, but I’m not sorry you know!  You know why?!”_

_“No!  I don’t know anything because someone hides things from me!”_

_“Argh!  Enough already!  I get that you’re mad at me, but I’m glad that you know because I want you to know all about me!  I don’t want to lie to you!  I don’t want to hide things from you!  I want you to know my name, and I want to tell you all about my day!  I want you to know everything, everything!”_

_“How can I believe that when you’ve been lying to me since the day I met you!?  How can I believe anything you say when I don’t trust **you**!?_

_“All right, but do you at least trust that I want to keep you safe?!”_

There was a pause, and then Lena yelled, _“Yes!”_

_“Good, then let me stay here and protect you!”_

_“Fine!”_

_“Fine!”_

_“Great!”_

_“Great!”_

_“My bedroom is the first door on the right on the third floor!  There are four others!  Take your pick!  The linen closet is the third door on the left!  Clean towels are in there!  Have a good night!”_

_“Thank you!  You too!”_

There was the fading sound of someone stomping off, a loud sigh, and then a soft thump like someone settling into comfortable seating.

“What the hell just happened?”  Winn asked.  “They were yelling but very polite at the end.  Were they fighting?”

“Eh, they’re women.  They’ll be fighting for like a week,” Maggie said.

“At least a few days.  If they end up together, Lena will bring this up for a year,” Alex added.

“Years,” Maggie said.  “This is the kind of thing that never goes out of style.”

“Sooooo, things are better or worse right now?” Winn asked.

“A little of both,” Alex replied.  “If Kara knew what she was doing, they’d be better.  However, she’s Kara.  Lena is going to make Kara squirm.”

“And Kara is going to squirm,” Maggie added.  “We’ve got to stop Kara from just dancing in place, and help her to move forward.”

Alex held out her hand toward Winn.  “Let me talk to her.”

He grabbed the phone and handed it to her.

“How do I…? Does it unmute like a…?”

“Yeah, just press this like a normal phone call,” Winn said pressing the microphone icon with the slash through it.

“Kara?”

_“Alex!?”_

“Yeah, it’s me.”

 _“Oh, Rao.”_ Kara sighed over the line. _“Golly, you scared me.  I forgot you were there.  Oh, you’re **all** still there.  So, um, that means everyone heard that, like, heard **everything**?”_

“Hey, Kara-bear.  How you doing?” Winn asked.

_“Well, I’m pretty sure my best friend hates me and will forever.  Someone is trying to kill her.  Also, this fun fact just in, she’s also my boss, so I have to deal with her scary Luthor stares all day at work too.  So, compared to being shoved into a space pod when I was twelve and watching my whole world be destroyed, actually, I’m not doing too badly.  How are you doing?”_

Winn laughed.  “That’s the Kryptonian optimist we all know and love.  It’s going to be okay.  You know that, right?”

_“How?”_

“Because you’re not alone, Sis.  You’ve got me, Maggie, and Winn, and James was there for you today too, right?  It’s not just you, and we’re going to help you get through this.”

 _“Right, right.”_ A note of certainty came to Kara’s voice. _“You’re right, Alex.  This time I’m not alone.  Thank you.”_

“Don’t mention it.  Now, what do you need?”

 _“Well, I could use some clothes that aren’t bulletproof.  Also...hold on.”_  There was a brief shuffling sound.   _“Yeah, I think I left my cellphone in my pants pocket.  I also left my purse at work.  I can just grab my purse tomorrow, but do you think—?”_

“James is already on his way over here with your things, Kara.  Do you want to fly by and grab them?” Alex asked.

_“No, I can’t leave Lena.  Can someone bring them by?”_

“Ah...right, you can’t leave Lena.  Sure, I can drive them over to you.  Meet me downstairs?”

_“I’ll call security and leave your name there, Alex.  You can come up.”_

“I can come up?”

_“Well, I can’t leave Lena.”_

“...of course.  I’ll let you know when I’m on my way.  Bye.”  Alex disconnected the com signal, whispering to Winn, “Is this really hung up?”

“Yup, just like you turned it off at your com.”

Alex slumped back into the couch. “I can already tell that’s going to get old fast.”

“Little Miss, ‘I can’t leave Lena’ you mean?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah, that.  Let’s just hope they make up and make out fast so we can get rid of the whole Janković threat and get back to our normal lives.”  There was a knock on the door, and Alex rose.  “You know, if my sister could just ask a girl on a date like a normal person, this wouldn’t be an issue.”

“Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black, Danvers?”

Pulling open the door, Alex stepped to the side.  “Thanks for bringing over Kara’s clothes, James.”

“Hey, no problem.  Sometimes I think that’s what half of Guardian’s duties are.  We keep a laundry basket in the back of the van and drop the contents off with her weekly.  How’s she doing?”

“Dude, you missed a raging chick fight,” Winn said leaning over the back of the couch.  “Lena was yelling, and then eventually Kara was yelling.  They were both yelling.  Then, at the end, they were yelling really politely at each other.”

“Yelling politely?”  James moved toward the kitchen.  “May I…?”

“Help yourself,” Alex said.

“Thanks.  What’s yelling politely?” James said as he took down a plate and made his way to the Chinese food.

“Like they were screaming ‘good’, great’, and ‘thank you’ at each other.  Oh, and Lena was yelling at Kara where to find clean towels.  Women are weird.  Guys don’t do that, do we, James?”

“So, wait.  Is Kara staying with Lena?”

“Well, she can’t leave Lena,” Maggie replied with a smirk.

“Hey, don’t you start.”  Alex glared.

Dropping an egg roll on top of the food on his plate, James took a seat on the loveseat.  “I guess I missed a lot.  Is Kara okay?  It sounds like Lena was kind of...out of control?  It might not be safe for Kara over there.”

“What’s she going to do to her, man, yell at her some more?” Winn asked.

“Hey, Lena is a Luthor.  Now that she knows who Kara is, you can’t be too sure what she’s capable of.  Kara could be in danger.”

“And on that note, I’m going to head to Kara’s and pack her a bag.  I can’t leave my little sister to the evils of a Luthor without her puppy pjs.”

While Maggie and Winn chuckled, James said, “That’s not funny, Alex.  I’m serious.  She could be in trouble.”

“Later!” Alex said heading out the door.

“She could have…” The door closed before he completed his sentence.  “...kryptonite.  Come on, guys, you know the Luthors are dangerous, right?”

“The Luthors as in Lex and Lillian, sure.  Lena?  I don’t think so, James.”

“Yeah, man, stop hating,” Winn added.

“I’m not.  I’m loving my friend Kara.”

“Are you loving her, or are you **loving her** ,” Maggie asked waggling her eyebrows.

Shoving food in his mouth, James didn’t reply.

 

<><> 

 

“Alex.”  Smiling broadly, Kara waved her sister inside the penthouse apartment.  “Thanks so much for coming by with my things.  My uniform is fairly comfortable, but I wanted to take a shower and change before bedtime.”

“Yeah, sure.”  Handing off a suitcase to her sister, Alex got her first look at Lena Luthor’s home.

Alex turned taking in the full scope of the room.  It was an open living area with two-story high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows that had a wide break in the middle of where the floor of the second floor would be were it present.  The floors were an impressively designed hardwood that seemed to span several rooms, and there was a lighter brown and cremé carpet in the living room that almost looked like bricks.  The sectional couch was the same light brown as the carpet with an odd striation pattern on it that looked like it was inspired by natural washed stones.  They had medium-blue cushions that matched the chairs in the room.  At the end of the room was something that seemed to be part table/part chaise longue/part art project and was perhaps carved out of marble.  There were three steel tables, of differing heights so they nested under each other, in the center of the room.  Between the living room and the dining room, which was also an open design, was a spiral staircase that led to the second floor.  Glass half-walls, on a walkway around the staircase and over the open dining room that also had a two-story ceiling, cut through the second floor but let in light.  The third floor wasn’t visible from the first, but stairs along the far wall over the dining room could be seen heading that way.

“Uh...this is a lot of open area and a lot of glass.  I mean, this place is gorgeous, but—”

“But she’s going to die in here.  One guy with a rifle and she’s dead.”  Kara gestured toward the windows.  “It’s all like this, all glass.  I usually love coming over here.  There’s so much sun.  It feels so…” Closing her eyes, Kara breathed deeply.  “Right now, though, it feels like a death trap.”

“Kara, just relax.”

Eyes flashing open, Kara turned to her sister.  “How can I?  How can I relax when she won’t even let me be in the same room with her?  She’s human, Alex.  That means all it takes is one bullet, just one.”  A single finger raised, she stood staring at her sister.

“Hey, I understand.”  Nodding at her sister, Alex took her sister’s raised hand in hers, smiling.  “I’m going to make some calls and get people to secure the buildings across the way, okay?  We’re going to have to make this a stealth mission because we don’t want to scare Janković back into hiding.  He’s resurfaced, so this is our best chance to stop him once and for all.  Kara, if you see janitors working across the way, maids cleaning the bathroom, if you see them with their headsets on and they’re listening to music...”  Alex held up two fingers on each hand and wiggled them when she said ‘listening to music’.  “Just know that Lena isn’t alone.  You aren’t alone.  Our people have you both covered.”

“Thank you, Alex.”  Kara threw herself into her sister’s arms.  Pushing away she said, “I’d love to take a shower and change.  Would you be willing to stay here while I do that, so I know Lena will be okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, no problem Kar.”  She pulled out her cellphone.  “I’ll just make some calls and get security setup.  I’ll have people in place in twenty minutes.”

“You’re the best, Alex.  You can watch TV when you’re done.”

“No, that’s fine I’ll…”

As Kara pressed a button on the remote, Alex’s voice petered off.  A panel in the wall opened, and an enormous television moved forward to stick out a few inches from the wall and tilt slightly forward.  Kara held the remote down, and her sister slowly sat taking the remote without removing her gaze from the TV.

“That’s a...That’s a really big TV, Kara.  How big is that?”

“It’s 98-inches.”

“Ninety-eight?”

Kara nodded.

“Wow.  I didn’t know they made flat screens that big.”

“I guess they do.  The surround sound is tremendous too.  It’s like your own personal movie theater in here.  Movie nights at Lena’s are the best.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

“Okay, well thanks for being on babysitting...or billionaire sitting...duty for me, Alex.  I won’t be too long.”

Alex waved aimlessly while she turned on the television and worked her way through the options.  “Take your time, Kara.  I’ve got things covered here.  You’re, uh, you’re probably pretty stressed, so you should try and relax.”  Kara had been gone for about five minutes when Alex became vaguely aware of footsteps padding down the stairs again.  Not looking up from the TV, Alex said, “That was fast.  I told you to take your time.  I’d make sure Lena was okay while you showered.  Anyway, I got some DEO agents on their way over to the surrounding building to make sure this glass castle isn’t used for target practice.  Do you need anything else?”

“You could tell me what the DEO is.”

“Jesus!” Alex startled turning toward the woman behind her.

“Actually, the name’s Lena.”  Lena raised one eyebrow and stared down at the agent on her couch.  “You know, Agent Danvers...if that is your real name...I’ve been called a lot of things in my lifetime, but that’s a new one.”

Turning off the television, Alex rose and wiped her hands on her pants as she tried to calm her nerves.  “Miss Luthor, you startled me there.”

“Really?  I couldn’t tell.”

“I didn’t expect you to uh…”

“Be in my own home?”

“No, I expected that but I uh…”

“You sound like your sister when you stammer,” Lena said dryly as she turned and left the room.

“Uh…” Following after the younger woman, Alex said, “Family resemblance.  We get that a lot.”

“Cute.”

Through the dining room were three options.  One led back into the living room, one continued off into an area Alex had yet to see, and the third led down eight glass steps and into a depressed kitchen which was where Lena was headed.  The walls and floor were all made from the same white marble with gray veins as was the center island.  The appliances were like black mirrors as was the area under the counter, above the wall, and below the dining room floor section.  A large light fixture hung over the center island which seated four but had room for more.  There was a second breakfast table to the side that seated six more.

“Holy crap, lady.  This is your kitchen?”

Glancing back at the agent as she readied her coffee maker, Lena replied, “Yes.  Why?”

“I’m pretty sure my whole apartment would fit in your kitchen.”

Lena waited, but when nothing else came she asked, “Is that a criticism of my kitchen or your apartment?”

“Uh...fair question.  So, sorry about...everything I guess.  You pretty pissed at everyone?”

As the coffee maker started, Lena said, “Look, Agent Danvers...Is it Agent Danvers?”

“It is.”

“I just wasn’t sure because I don’t think it’s Agent Danvers of the FBI.”

Rubbing at the back of her neck, Alex nodded.  “Yeah, about that.  If you could not mention that little slip up to my boss at least until you sign the NDA—”

“The what?”

“An NDA, you see it’s a—”

“I know what an NDA is, Agent Danvers.  I do run a multi-billion dollar company, after all.  Why would I be signing one?”

“Well, since you know who Kara is, we’ll need you to sign one.”

“Ahh, you’ll need me to sign one.”

Smiling Alex nodded.

The coffee maker loudly finished pouring coffee into the mug.  Turning with the mug in hand, Lena asked, “Would you care for a cappuccino or an espresso, Agent Danvers?”

“Uh, sure?”

“Which one?”

“Both?  I mean, either.  They’re both good,” Alex clarified.

Lena nodded, handing Alex her mug.  “Have an espresso.  You look like a woman after my own heart, the kind who doesn’t sleep much.”

“Well, I do have a very cute fiancée.”

“Ah, the good detective.”  Lena grabbed another mug and other supplies and started the coffee machine again.  “Yes, you’re a very lucky woman, Agent Danvers.”

“I am, thank you.  So, about that NDA.”

“Right.  I won’t be signing it.”  Lena walked over to the phone on the wall, lifting the receiver.

“But, Miss Luthor—”

Raising one finger to Alex for silence, Lena spoke into the phone, “Daniel, yes good evening to you also.  Miss Danvers is here.  Please send over her usual from the Chinese restaurant she likes.  No, I mean Miss Kara Danvers.  You didn’t?  Hmmm...Well, it must have been before you came onto shift.  She was here when I got home.  At any rate, please place the order and...no, just for Miss Danvers.  No, I already ate.  Yes, I’m certain.   **Daniel.** ”  Lena’s voice was suddenly strict, but then returned to a more gentle tone.  “Thank you, Daniel.  No, the other Miss Danvers won’t be staying for food.  Thank you, again.  That will be all.”  She hung up and sighed.  “I swear that man is otherwise wonderful at his job, but he must be getting a kickback from the local delivery places.  Now, what were you saying, Agent Danvers?”

“We were discussing the NDA.”

“Right.  That’s not going to happen.”

“But why not?”

Lena shrugged as she headed back to her coffee maker.  “What’s in it for me?”

“Uh...That’s a good question.  No one has ever asked me that before.  Usually, people just sign it.”

“Then usually, people are idiots,” Lena said as her espresso stopped brewing.  She emptied the coffee grounds into a container and turned to Alex.  “I’m not an idiot.”

“I didn’t say you were.”

“You thought I’d sign a document which gave your agency the right to prosecute me if I divulged Supergirl’s identity, and yet you’re offering me nothing in return.  That sounds idiotic to me.  How about you, Agent Danvers?”  

As Lena walked out of the kitchen, mug in hand, Alex followed and said, “No one really gets prosecuted.”

“Well, good.  Then there’s no need to sign the NDA.”

Alex sighed.  “But it’s procedure.”

“Not my procedure.”  Turning suddenly, Lena said, “You know, Agent Danvers, I did wonder about Kara’s appetite.  More than once I thought ‘alien’.  It did occur to me, but the DNA tester proved otherwise.  I had to scrap the project so...How did she beat the DNA tester?”

“I have no idea.  She never told me about it.”  Alex smiled.  “If I find out, will you sign the NDA?”

With an eye roll, Lena replied, “Please.  She’ll give that up for the last slice of day old pizza.”

“Oh.  True.”  Alex deflated.  “The NDA is standard protocol.”

“That sounds like a you problem, Agent Danvers, not a me problem.  Good luck with that.  Enjoy the television and the beverage.  If you too are moving in, bedrooms are on the third floor, and the linen closet is the third door on the left.  Good night.”  With a dismissive wave, Lena headed to the spiral staircase.

“Miss Luthor?”

With just one foot on the staircase, Lena stopped.

“I really am sorry about everything.  Kara has wanted to tell you for a while, but work wouldn’t let her.  I agreed that she should be able to tell you, but it wasn’t my call.  Kara trusts you, and I trust Kara’s judgment.”

“Agent Danvers, I’m...You’re a good sister.  Kara is lucky to have you.  You defending Kara like this, it’s actually what an older sibling should do.  Good for you.  For the record, I’m not angry with Kara for lying to me.”

Head tilting to the side, Alex asked, “You’re not?”

“I’m not.  I’m so incredibly hurt that Kara would befriend me when she knew she couldn’t tell me the truth.  That was a betrayal.  She didn’t owe me the truth about her identity, but Supers and Luthors can’t enter into a relationship like that built on a lie and not have it end in pain.”

Alex thought for a few moments before responding, then said, “I’m sorry you’re hurt.  You’re not the only one.”

“You’d think that makes me feel better, but it doesn’t,” Lena replied.

Alex smiled gently.  “Maybe that’s telling you something.”

“Good night again, Agent Danvers.”  

Lena was halfway up the stairs when an excited Kara, in pajamas covered in puppy faces, came running out of the third-floor hallway and looked down over the overhang.

“Alex!  The shower here is soooo much better than the one in my apartment.  You should see it!”

“Kara, wait I—”

Kara turned and raced down the stairs at the far wall and then headed down the spiral staircase.  She came to a sudden halt when she met Lena.  The CEO raised an eyebrow, one hand on the handrail and the other holding a coffee as she continued up the stairs.  Like a scared animal, Kara took one hesitant step back after another.

“Lena, I...I didn’t see you there.”

Continuing up the stairs, Lena said, “It’s a glass staircase, Kara.”

“Right.  It is,” Kara said as she kept backing up until she reached the second floor.  She half-stumbled there and backed away from Lena, who continued to glare at her, so Kara vaulted over the railing and down to the first floor below.

Lena spared just a glance over her shoulder and through the glass half-wall toward the women down below before she turned and headed off in the other direction toward the stairs up.

“Are you all right?” Alex asked in hushed tones.

Kara nodded, but she was still shrunk in on herself.  “I’m just not used to seeing her like this toward me.  Sometimes Lena gets really mad, like Luthor level mad, and she’ll go after a business competitor either verbally or professionally, but all I have to do then is watch and make sure she eats at least one meal that isn’t black coffee.”

Alex hummed a bit noncommittally as she sipped at her coffee.  “So, she doesn’t have access to Kryptonite, does she?”

Frowning, Kara replied, “Why would you ask that?”

“Nothing.  It’s stupid.  It’s just something that James said.”

“Ugh.  James is being kind of negative about Lena.  I wish he’d stop lumping her in with the rest of her family.  No one blames Winn for what his family did.  No one blames me for what my family did.  Why is it just Lena who gets the blame?  It’s not fair.”

“And you’re all about fair, aren’t you, Kara.”

“Well, it’s only...fair.”

Taking another sip of her espresso, Alex said, “So, Lena is refusing to sign the NDA.  Any chance you can work on that?”

“But people always sign the NDA.”

“I know, but Lena said no.  She asked what was in it for her, and then said the NDA was my problem.  I mean, she’s kind of right, but it’s a problem.  You think you can get her to sign it?”

Vaulting the couch gracefully and landing in a sitting position with obvious anti-gravity assistance, Kara replied, “I can ask her when she’s talking to me instead of just shouting at me, but maybe you should find a way to answer her question.  What is in it for her?  Lena’s a businesswoman first.  Appeal to her business nature.”

Finish up her drink, Alex nodded.  “Hey, do you know how to use that fancy coffee maker?”

“Sure.  Why?”

“We’re going to have to limit Lena’s movements as much as possible.  Her driving to and from places is actually one of the most dangerous times.  She should stay here.  You think you can talk her into it?”

“Here?”   Leaning over the back of the couch, Kara looked around the room.  “You want her to stay in a place that is almost all windows?  Alex, on the rare occasions when she does work from home, she does it in the sunroom.  It’s on the first floor, but it’s on a section that doesn’t have a second or third floor above it.  The room is fantastic, but it has glass on all four walls and the ceiling.  We might as well put a ‘Shoot Me’ sign on her back.  She’s going to die.”

“Let me worry about security.”  Alex offered her sister the empty mug.  “I’ll be back in the morning to set some stuff up here.  You work on Lena.”

“Okay, thanks, Alex.”  Kara’s stomach growled loudly, and she clasped both hands to her stomach instead of taking the mug.  Standing, the Kryptonian asked, “Any chance you could go pick me up some dinner?  I’m starving.”

“No.  Lena called someone named Daniel and asked that your usual from the local Chinese food place be sent over.  I guess you’re already set.”

Eyes wide as she leaned slightly forward, Kara asked, “She did?”

“She did.”

“Why?”

Smiling, Alex replied, “Because that girl likes you, Kar.  Sure she’s pissed, but she still cares.  She’s just hurt.  She understands why you kept your identity a secret from her.  She just doesn’t understand why a Super would befriend a Luthor and lie to them like that.  She’s hurt.”

Ducking her head, Kara nodded.  “I get that.  I didn’t mean to.  I just...The friendship just happened.  How can you not want to be Lena’s friend when she’s so…” Looking up at her sister, Kara asked, “You know?”

Alex’s smile was still gentle.  “I think I get it, Kar.  You didn’t mean to fall into a friendship with Lena.  You didn’t mean to hurt her.  The thing you have to remember is who Lena is.  She grew up a Luthor.  I bet she’s used to people lying to her and using her.  You have a lot of good friends and family, but Lena only has you.  She put all of her eggs in one basket here, and you dropped them.  So, what are you going to do about it?”

Rubbing both of her palms across the back of the couch, Kara replied, “Is it awful that I really want eggs now?”

With a quick laugh, Alex walked around the couch.  “Get up and give me a hug.”

Nodding, Kara eagerly did so.

“Any better?”

“So much.  Do you want to stay here tonight?  The bedrooms are huge.”

Pushing away from her sister, Alex handed over her mug.  “Tempting, but I need to get back to the DEO and work on details of the Op. I’ll be over tomorrow at some point, okay?”

“Bring food?”

“I love you too,” Alex said briefly hugging her sister again before she headed out with a wave.  Alex waited until she had reached the parking garage before making her phone call.  “Hey, it’s me.”

_“How’d it go, babe?”_

“Fine.  Well, Kara is a nervous wreck, but there was no yelling, and Lena and I had a fairly civil conversation.  She doesn’t seem mad, just hurt.”

_“Ah, that’s much worse.”_

“Right?  She has reason. We’ve just got to help them both get through this.  It’s not insurmountable.”

_“Okay, so what’s the plan?”_

Alex sighed.  “I told Kara I wanted to keep Lena home to keep her safe.  I’m hoping they’ll talk.  If this were an actual life and death situation, I’d want to get her out of this place.  The walls are all made of glass.  I’m actually a little nervous here.  I don’t know how she can live like this.”

_“Huh.  Given the number of times someone has tried to kill her, it’s amazing they haven’t succeeded yet.”_

“Agreed.  Anyway, I’m going to come by and check on them tomorrow.  Right now Lena is running on piss and vinegar, but by tomorrow she might be a bit more interested in her own mortality.  I don’t actually want to scare the kid.  I’ll make sure she feels safe, make sure Kara feels okay, and just try and steer them both in the right direction.”

_“I bet it’s a nice place.”_

“Holy fuck, babe!  You should see her TV!  It’s huge!”

There was laughter from the other side of the line.   _“Consider me the official police liaison on this case.  When will you be home to coordinate your case briefs with me?”_

Alex grinned.  “You make everything so dirty.”

_“One of my many talents, and you’re welcome.”_

“I’ll be there in about twenty minutes depending on traffic.”

_“The boys are gone.  I’m running water for a tub, slipping out of these clothes, and slipping into a bubble bath.”_

“Oh.” Alex swallowed hard as she pushed the unlock button on her key fob and her car alarm beeped.  “I’ll put on the siren and see you in fifteen.”


	7. I Have a Type

Alex opened the door to Lena’s letting Maggie in.  “Hey, thanks for coming over.”

“No problem, babe.”  The detective looked around, letting out a long, slow whistle.  “Okay, not too bad.  So, this is how the other half lives?”

“Apparently,” Alex replied, holding out her hand.  “You got food?”

“Yeah.” Maggie handed over the bag.  “So, she can afford a TV that’s the size of our living room wall but no food?”

Going into the kitchen, Alex pulled take-out containers out of the bag.  “Maybe she spent all of her food money on the TV.”

“Huh.  Good point.  Okay, so what am I doing here besides supplying food to you and the heiress?”

Checking inside the containers, Alex smiled when she found ribs.  “Lena needs a friend, a confidant, and you are here to be that confidant.”

“I am?”

Alex nodded.  “You are.”  She packed the rest of the food back into the bag, handing it back to Maggie.  “Lena is in something she calls the sunroom.  Go bring her food, and play nicely.  She likes me a little bit better than James, and a lot better than Kara, but she still isn’t fond of me.  I’m only allowed here because of the Serbian assassin.  I spent about two hours talking her out of just getting her own protection.”

“Ah.”  Maggie nodding, taking the bag and giving Alex a little kiss.  “Okay, wish me luck.”

“Good luck.  I’m going to watch a movie in the living room and uh...you know, security stuff.”

Shaking her head, Maggie said, “This is like a vacation for you, isn’t it?”

Alex grinned.  “It’s for a good cause.”

“J’onn is going to kill you if he finds out.”

Alex tapped at her head.  “M’gann won’t let that happen.  Now, go be Lena’s friend, and put in a good word for Kara.”

“I don’t know, Alex.  Something about this doesn’t feel right.”

“Think about movie nights here when they get together.”

Slowly, Maggie nodded.  “I’m starting to feel better about it.  Okay, for the sake of true love, I’ll go talk to Lena.”

“Great, and I’ll eat ribs and enjoy watching Carol on a 98-inch screen.  Who knew they even made them that big.”

“Which way is Lena?” Maggie asked.  “This place is a bit bigger than our place.”

“Oh, go past the dining room, turn left.  Go straight.  Heh, telling you to go straight.  Anyway, go straight and you’ll take another left.  Second door on your right, that’s the sunroom.  It’s right next to the pool.”

Maggie smiled brightly.  “Oh, cool, she has a pool table here?”

“Ah, yeah, she does, but that’s on the second floor.  This is the swimming pool, the indoor one.  Just...later you and I can do a tour.  We’ll call it surveillance, okay?”

“There’s a swimming pool in here?  There are two swimming pools in here?”  Maggie shook her head.  “Yeah, Kara needs to piss or get off the pot already.  Hot geniuses with swimming pools just don’t wait around for you.”

“Right?  I mean, if it weren’t for you…”  Alex shrugged with a grin.

“Hey, if Kara can’t close this deal, perhaps you and I should renegotiate the terms of this arrangement.”  When Alex glared, Maggie chuckled and backed out of the room, bag in hand.  “Kidding...mostly.  I’m going to bring my friend food.  Enjoy your meat and giant TV.”

“Mind your manners!”

Maggie made her way past the dining room and straight down until she hit a hallway that went left and right.  She went left as directed.  She continued down to the second door on the right, but knew she was in the correct place as soon as the interior walls turned to glass.  The sunroom was filled with plants and had walls and a ceiling made completely of glass.  There were several chairs within, and on one of them, Lena Luthor sat, her legs stretched out and laptop on a table just above her lap.  The CEO was wearing a maroon MIT t-shirt, gray yoga pants, black glasses with thick frames, and her hair was up in a messy bun.  When Maggie entered, Lena glanced in the detective’s direction but immediately returned to typing.

Stopping near Lena, Maggie stared down at the younger woman and said, “You wear glasses.”

“That sort of keen observation must be why you’re a detective,” Lena stated, her voice monotone as she didn’t break sight of her computer screen and didn’t slow in her typing.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses.”

“You do now.”

Maggie sighed.  “Are you pissed at me?”

“Did you know?”

“Not about the glasses, but we’ve already established that, so I take it you mean Kara.  Yeah, I knew, but nobody told me either.  I worked with her and Alex, and they kept me out of the loop too.  I had to figure it out for myself.”

Fingers frozen at that admittance, Lena looked up.  “No one told you?”

“Can I pull up a seat?”

After a moment of considering, Lena nodded.

Maggie sat, pulling out a food container, checking the contents, and handing it over to Lena with utensils, and then doing the same for herself.  “Yeah, no one told me.  I’m a detective though.  If you spend any time around the two of them, I mean around Kara as both herself and as Supergirl, it’s pretty easy to figure out.  I was dating Alex and working with Supergirl, so I got to see both sides of her.  Anyone smart who knows them both and wants to know the truth, they know the truth.  So, the real question is, why didn’t you want to know the truth?”

Looking up from her food, Lena replied, “Who said I didn’t want to know the truth?”

“Lena.”  Maggie smiled until her dimples flashed.  “You are too smart and too observant not to know Kara was Supergirl unless you didn’t want to know.  You didn’t want it to be her.  If it were her, if your best friend was Supergirl and was keeping that from you, then what did that mean?”

Pushing the laptop to the side, Lena put her food on the table.  She studied her hands.  “Is that what her cousin did to Lex?  He did, didn’t he?”  Looking up at Maggie, Lena added, “It’s all right.  I know you can’t tell me that.  I didn’t sleep at all last night.  I kept thinking through every interaction going back to the day I first met Kara.  I’m not asking you to tell me who Superman is, but do you know who he is?”

“I…”  Maggie hesitated before continuing.  “I do.”

“Thank you.  He’s Clark Kent,” Lena said assuredly.  “I didn’t want to say that in case you didn’t know, and I’m not asking you to confirm or deny anything.  Looking back on it, on the day the two of them came into my office to ask me about the explosion on the Venture, it seems so obvious now.  They had their matching glasses, matching smiles, matching blue eyes, and matching belief in truth, justice, blah, blah, blah.  The next time I saw Kara alone, not Supergirl, Kara, she told she flew there on a bus.”

“She did not.”

“She most certainly did.”

“Maybe she was subconsciously trying to tell you something.”  Maggie held out her food container.  “Sweet potato fry?”

Lena held out a hand and shook her head.  “I don’t think so, not that early, but she definitely got sloppier with her excuses for canceled plans the longer we knew each other, and I always let things go.  You’re right though.  I didn’t want my friend to be Supergirl lying to me about her identity.  I just wanted her to be...Kara.  Why can’t she just be Kara?”

“She still is, you know.”

“Zor-El, last daughter of Krypton.  That doesn’t sound pretentious.”

“That’s coming from Lena Luthor, genius heiress to the Luthor fortune.”

“You forgot bastard,” Lena added with a heavy sigh.  “So, where do I go from here, Maggie?  Is this as much my fault as Kara’s?  Do I just forgive and move on because I don’t think I’m ready to do that.”

“Oh, hell no!  She was in the wrong.  Sure, you might have played into it, but Kara was in the wrong.  There is no way you just forgive and forget right away.  That girl needs to sweat this out a bit.”

Nodding slowly, Lena opened her food container and took out her fork.  “All right.  I’m listening.  So we’re not ready to forgive Kara?”

Maggie scoffed.  “Not even close.  Sure, she needs to be around you for your protection, but she doesn’t have to enjoy it, right?”

“Right.”  Lena nodded, the nodding increasing as she started smiling.  “Okay, I like where you’re going with this.  Where are you going with this?”

“You have an event at L-Corp tomorrow night, right?”

“Unfortunately, yes.  We do annual events with investors.  It will be Sam’s first one, and I really shouldn’t abandon her at it.  Will it be safe for me to go?”

Maggie grinned.  “I’ve got an idea.  Kara will be there, right?”

“Hmmm.”  Lena grumbled.  “I’d originally asked her to go with me, but she’s there as press for Catco anyway, so yes.”

“Perfect.  Someone else will accompany you.”

One eyebrow lifted, Lena waited.

“She’s a friend of mine.  You’ll like her.”  Maggie grinned.  “She’ll love you.”

“And she’s a...police officer?”

“A bodyguard.  She’s the best.  You couldn’t be safer.  You don’t have a problem going with someone besides Kara, do you?”

“Not a problem.”  Lifting what looked like orange juice, Lena said, “I’m having a mimosa.  Today is a ‘drink early and often’ kind of day.  Can I get you something?”

Raising her hand, Maggie looked away.  “I’m good.”

Lena shrugged.  “Suit yourself.”

It was nearly a half an hour later when Maggie came walking down the hallway and back into the living room where Alex was watching television.  Smiling, the detective laughed as she held her cellphone to her ear.  Alex looked up curiously, pausing her movie and waiting for the update.

Maggie nodded.  “Actually, I’m surprised you two don’t know each other.  I’d think you both traveled in the same circles.”

_“Never met her.  I am looking at a picture right now though.  Mags, damn babe.  She look this good in person?”_

“Well, I can’t see the picture you’re looking at, but I’m going with better.  So, no problem getting here for tomorrow night?  It’s some fancy dress thing.  I think it starts at seven, and you’d need full surveillance gear.”

_“Uh...yeah, I’ll figure it out.  You folks being on the west coast makes it a bit easier.  Plus, you know how I like to dress up.”_

“We won’t be keeping you up past curfew?”

There was a quick laugh, and then the woman on the other side of the line replied, _“I’ll manage somehow.  How’s that fiancée treating you?”_

Glancing over at Alex, Maggie smiled.  “Perfect.”

_“That’s good to hear, Mags.  You sound happy.  It suits you.  Hey, it’s good hearing from you.  You shouldn’t be a stranger.  Don’t wait until you need a favor to call.  We should catch up more often.”_

“Agreed.  I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

_“See you then, babe.”_

Disconnecting, Maggie wandered over to Alex.  “Okay, I’ve got to head into work.  I made some plans for tomorrow tonight that should make things pretty interesting.”

“Were those the plans?”

“Yup.  I’ve got a friend from back in the day showing up to play bodyguard to Lena.  She’s attractive, flirty, fully capable of snobbing it up with a bunch of millionaires, trained in weapons and hand-to-hand combat, and knows her job is to make your sister jealous.”

“Oh.  Interesting.  Do you think it will work?”

“Babe.”  Kissing Alex deeply, Maggie pulled away and said, “If there’s one thing I know, it’s women.  This is going to send your sister into overdrive.  If it doesn’t, Kara is a hopeless case.”

As Maggie strolled to the door, Alex said, “You do realize that Kara might be a hopeless case, don’t you?”

Maggie shrugged.  “Kara’s not my problem.  You figure her out.  Aliens fall under the DEO’s purview.”

“Hey!”  The door closed, and Alex yelled.  “You’re science division!”  

 

 

<><> 

 

It was fifteen minutes before Lena and Kara had to leave for the L-Corp event.  Lena was in her bedroom getting ready.  Maggie and Alex were lounging on the couch watching TV.  Kara was pacing the living room still in her work clothes for the day, body stiff and posture angry. Her arms were straight lines down her sides that ended in fists, and her entire face was tight.

Turning to face the couch, Kara said, “I don’t like this.”

Glancing up at the angry blonde, Maggie replied, “Yup, you’ve mentioned that before.”

“A few times,” Alex added, not peeling her gaze from the TV.

“It’s not safe,” Kara added.

“And that.”  Alex nodded.  

“I should be the one with Lena.  I’m the one best able to protect her.  I’m the superhero.”

Sighing, Alex turned off the TV and sat up, turning to face her sister.  “Kara, look, Maggie vouches for this bodyguard woman.  She says she’s the best and—”

“I’m better.”

Alex cleared her throat.  “Maggie says this woman is the best.  She’ll keep her safe, and you’ll be there to mingle, take notes for the story, and keep an eye out for Janković.  This is a good plan.”

“Anyway, Lena should be showing up at these kinds events with a date,” Maggie added. “It’s not like you could pull off people thinking you’re Lena’s girlfriend.”

Alex laughed saying, “Yeah, good one Mags.”

“What?  Why are you laughing?”  Kara asked.

“Oh, come on, Kara.  You and Lena Luthor?  Who would ever believe that?”  Eyebrows raised and furrowed, Alex shook her head.  “I mean, we all know how amazing you are, and how beautiful, but you go out of your way to hide it.  You hide the whole package.”

“Well, that’s because...pfff.  You know.”  Kara’s hands slapped against her legs.  “Mild-mannered reporter here.  It’s kind of key to the whole secret identity thing.”

“Yeah, but it isn’t a secret to Lena anymore.  You don’t have to hide from her you know,” Maggie pointed out.

“That would only matter if Kara actually wanted to date Lena,” Alex countered.  “Which she doesn’t.”  

“Oh, good point.  You don’t really like Lena, do you, Little Danvers?”

“Well of course I do.  I mean, I don’t like her like her.  Lena’s my best friend.  I like her like a friend who’s a girl, but not as a girlfriend.  I mean that would be...heh...you know...heh...crazy right?”

Maggie shrugged, sipping her beer.  “The only thing crazy is how hot that girl is, right babe?”

“Oh, agreed.  Maybe we should have that monogamy discussion.”

“Monogamy discussion?”  Kara shook her head.  “What monogamy discussion?”

“Yeah, monogamy is just so heteronormative.  Alex and I have been talking about making the rules of our relationship a bit more...fluid.”

Kara choked on air.  “Fluid?”

Alex nodded.  “It’s intriguing, right?  Did you have polyamory on Krypton?”

“I...I...we didn’t even have sex!”

“Well that explains a lot,” Maggie said, rising when the doorbell rang.  Maggie was gone for just a few moments, the sound of her voice muted from the foyer, but when she returned it was with another woman in tow.  “Alex, Kara, this is my friend Kate Kane.  Kate, this is my fiancée Alex and her sister Kara.”

Wearing black riding leathers, Kate was tall and thin, but curvy in all the right ways.  She was incredibly pale with red hair ending about two inches above the shoulders.  She strode into the room with confidence, her head moving about quickly as eyes gave the place a once over perhaps in appraisal.  She didn’t pause on anyone or anything for more than a split-second before turning to Alex and smiling broadly, bright red lips making an already attractive face even lovelier as green eyes sparkled, and she extended her hand.

“So, you’re the woman who finally tamed this one,” Kate said as she shook the hand of Alex who rose to meet her.  “I don’t know if I should congratulate you or give you my condolences.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure some days either,” Alex admitted.  “It’s nice to meet you, Kate.  How do you and Maggie know each other?  I don’t recall her ever mentioning you.”

“Oh, she didn’t?”  Kate’s smile changed, a touch seductive, a bit dangerous as she looked down at the shorter detective then returned to Alex again.  “We worked together.”

Alex tensed.  “You’re a cop?”

“Not exactly.  Hey, where can I get changed?”  Kate patted the dress bag she had hanging off of her arm, a pair of black heels clutched in that same hand.  “I hear this shindig is formal, and I don’t think black leather and boots will cut it...though that is my usual formal.”

Maggie laughed.  “You’ll make a statement.  You always made a statement, Kate.  That’s for sure.”

“I always had something to say,” Kate grinned.  “So, a restroom maybe?”

Maggie took Kate’s arm and pointed.  “Go to the third floor.  There are bathrooms and bedrooms every which way.  Avoid the first door on your right, or you might get a look at your date naked.”

Kate laughed, walking away and shaking her head.  “Yeah, sure wouldn’t want to see that before the date.”  She turned slightly, waving over her shoulder as she made her way up the stairs.  “Well, it was nice meeting you Alex, Karla.”

“Kara,” the blonde corrected.

“Right, Kara.”  Kate finger-gunned and walked away.

Maggie laughed, turning to the other two women.  “Isn’t she great?”

“She’s ah...she’s...so how do you know her?”  Alex asked.

“Gotham,” Maggie replied.

“Maggie, that’s a place, not an answer.”

“No, we met in Gotham.”

Alex nodded.  “That still doesn’t answer my question.  How do you know her?”

Picking up the empty beer bottles from the table, Maggie headed into the kitchen.  “I told you.  I met her in Gotham.”

“And?”  Alex followed her fiancée into the kitchen, rolling her hand in front of her encouragingly.

Putting the bottles into the sink, Maggie began to rinse them out.  “I was working a case.  She ended up working the same case.  And we met.  Hey, it was kind of like the two of us, Alex.  How about that?”

“How about that,” Alex said, but her tone was heavy as she leaned against the refrigerator.  “Did you two date?”

Looking up from the bottles, Maggie smiled at her fiancée.  “Oh, come on, Alex.  What does that have to do with anything?”

“That sounds like a yes,” Kara said from the archway between the living room and the kitchen.

“Hey, whose side are you on?”  Maggie asked.

“My sister’s,” Kara said, pulling herself up to her full height.

“Thank you,” Alex replied.

“Yeah, thanks a lot, Karla,” Maggie added, smiling when the blonde grimaced.  “Yes, okay, Alex, yes Kate and I dated.  So, I guess I have a thing for picking up hot redheads at crime scenes.”

Alex stiffened.  “So you have a type?”

Turning off the water, Maggie shook water off her hands and walked toward the refrigerator.  When Alex stepped away, Maggie grabbed the dishrag from the handle and dried her hands.  “Kate is attractive, diligent, honest, believes in justice and is willing to fight for it.  She’s one of the best people I know.  She’s a really, really good person, one of the best out there.”  Walking close to Alex, Maggie leaned in for a kiss, pausing when the redhead stiffened and waiting for the other woman to relax before pressing their lips together briefly and then saying, “So, yeah, I have a type.”

With a sigh, Alex failed to contain her smile.  “You are so damn charming.  You know that, don’t you?”

“I do.  I’m also great in the sack,” Maggie said going in for a longer kiss.

“Ewww, guys gross,” Kara exclaimed.

Looking over her shoulder, Alex said, “You’re just jealous.”

“No, you can keep her.  No thanks,” Kara replied, crossing her arms.

Wrapping her arms around the shorter woman, Alex said, “Of what we have.  It was easier when you and I were both single, wasn’t it, Kar?  Does it bother you now that I’m engaged?”

“No, not bother.  I just…” Gaze falling to her hands, Kara’s fingers made several trips over each other before she looked up again.  “I’m happy for you both.  I love you so much, Alex, and I want you to be happy.  Maggie makes you happy, so this is what I want for you.”

Going to Kara and pulling her into a hug, Alex said, “I want you to be happy too.  You don’t have to stay single, you know.  If you meet the right person, someone you really care      about, act on it, Kara.  Life is too short.  I think you know that by now.”

“If anyone knows that, it should be you, Little Danvers.”

Kara nodded, holding her sister close.  “I’ve lost a lot of people.”

“Don’t lose someone else because you let them get away,” Alex advised.

Voices came from down the staircase, distracting the trio from their conversation.

“Are you sure I don’t have helmet hair?”

Lena’s laughter rang out.  “Absolutely not, and I would tell you if you did.  I wouldn’t be caught dead somewhere with someone with helmet hair.  Your hair looks fabulous, Kate, just fabulous.”

“Well your...everything looks fabulous, Lena.”

Lena laughed again, her voice slow and sexy.  “Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls.”

“Heh.  I don’t call them all Lena.  That would get awkward fast.”

“Oh, that is a little overly specific,” Lena admitted as she and Kate strolled through the living room and past the opening to the kitchen.  “I’ve always been a fan of ‘darling’ myself.  Use it from the beginning, and it doesn’t get uncomfortable when you can’t remember a name later on.”

“Meh.  Names are overrated.”

Maggie went into the living room, giving a long, slow whistle causing the two women who were on their way to the door to stop and turn.  “Hey, you two clean up all right.”

Kate’s dress was red and strapless, held up by some marvel of modern engineering over her ample bosom.  It was full length but cut high on both sides, and pale legs showed with each movement.  She wore diamond earrings that curved along her ears, three stones, and a matching necklace and bracelet.  On her dress was a diamond circle brooch with a bar across the center where the pin attached.  If they were real, she was in more danger of being robbed than Lena was of being killed.

Lena’s dress was green, had a halter top, and was cut low to show plenty of cleavage.  Her jewelry was also green, emeralds, and she had just one stone that hung low between her breasts, a large stone set into a platinum cuff, and earrings.  Though her hair was down, some of it was pulled back in the front and braided to hang down so that the earrings were visible.  There was a thin silver belt that matched the metal of the jewelry.

“Yes, I do think they’ll let us in the door,” Lena said with a smirk.  “If they give us any trouble, I know the CFO.”

“Oh, well that’s good.  Otherwise, I heard of this great burger shop in town.  Maybe we could just blow this whole party off and paint the town red.”

“Play hooky?” Lena asked, initially looking scandalized, then a slow smile coming to her face.  “We could do that?”

“You don’t look like you ever played hooky in your life.”

“I never did,” Lena admitted.

“Stick with me, kid.”

Clearing her throat, arms crossed, Kara said, “Lena should only go to the L-Corp event.  That’s where her security detail is.  It’s not safe for her to be...be...traipsing about town.”

“Traipsing about town?”  Kate grinned over at Maggie.  “Oh, little sister is fun.”  Looking back at Kara, Kate winked, “Relax, kid, I’ve got her.  She couldn’t be safer with me.”

Arms snapping stiffly to her sides, Kara stalked up to Kate and leaned in close.  Her voice was barely a whisper as she said, “She’d be safer with me.”

Eyebrows raised, Kate watched the blonde for several moments then smiled as she took a step in even closer, her hand patting Kara’s shoulder gently as she whispered, “Don’t get your cape in a bunch.  I’ve got this.”

“My...my...what?” Kara sputtered.

Winking again, Kate leaned in so close that she spoke only for Kara’s hearing alone, making sure that once again even Lena couldn’t hear her. “Bruce says hi.”  Turning back to Lena, the redhead held out an arm.  “Shall we?”

“Delighted,” Lena replied taking the offered arm as they headed to the door.

“Well, don’t wait up for us kids,” Kate said waving over her shoulder.  “Have a good night Mags, Alex, Kaylie.”

“It’s Karla!  Um....Kara.” The blonde sighed heavily.  As the door closed, Kara spun on Maggie and stalked closer.  “Who in the name of Rao is that!?”

“Uh, that’s Kate,” Maggie replied, clearly taken aback.

“Kara, what’s wrong?” Alex asked.

“How does she know who I am?”

“I introduced you,” Maggie said.  “When she came in—”

“You told her I was Supergirl?”

“You told her she was Supergirl!?”

“What?”  Maggie’s head turned back and forth between the angry hero and her angry fiancée.  “No!  No, guys, no.  I absolutely didn’t...What makes you think she knows you’re Supergirl?”

“She told me not to get my cape in a bunch.”

“Oh...well maybe that’s just a figure of...yeah, I guess she knows,” Maggie admitted.  “I didn’t tell her, though.  Someone else must have told her.”

Eyes narrowed, Kara leaned in even closer.  “Does she know Batman?”

Eyes widening, Maggie said, “Oooooooh!  Yeah, that.”

“Yeah that?  Yeah, what, Mags?”  Alex asked.

“I don’t think I can tell you.”

“Kara.” Alex pointed at her sister.

Kara whipped off her glasses, her eyes glowing yellow.

“Aaaahhh!  Kate is Batwoman!”

“Seriously?” Kara and Alex asked at the same time.

Hand to her chest, Maggie nodded.  “Seriously.  I told you, Alex, I have a type.  It’s hot, redheaded, intelligent, courageous, justice-driven women who will do anything to protect others, and also happen to be capable of kicking my ass.”

“More like smacking it,” Alex said pulling Maggie in close.

“Oh, guys.”  Kara looked away.  “TMI.”

“Oh, grow up and get your own girlfriend,” Maggie said.

“I...pfff...I don’t...I…”

“Hey, are you staying here with us, or are you going to the L-Corp mixer thingy to keep a closer eye on things?  We’ll be doing surveillance on our systems and checking in with the teams we have on site, but you should probably be there in case something happens and you’re needed immediately.”

“Right, yeah, right,” Kara said nodding.  “Plus I need to write an article for Catco.”

“Well, go get changed,” Alex urged.

Kara took two steps but then stopped.  “Maggie, you don’t think that Lena and Kate would...you know.  They don’t really have anything in common, right?”

“Actually, they have lots in common.  Kate’s a billionaire.”

Kara blinked a bit too rapidly.  “What?”

Maggie nodded.  “Yeah.  See, she lost her mother and twin sister when she was just a kid, saw them killed in front of her.  She was the one who survived.  It turned out her sister, Elizabeth, wasn’t dead, but they thought she was.  She showed up again a few years back when Kate and I were together going by the name of Alice and speaking in these weird quotes.  She was part of this big crime organization.  Things got crazy there for a bit, like really crazy, but Beth is back and mostly okay I think.  Kate’s always wanted to make a difference in this world, and she joined the military, but she was outed for being gay, and she refused to lie about it, so she ended up being discharged. This whole Batwoman thing is her trying to make a difference in the world, make a better world, and help people.  That’s all she really wants is to make a better world, and she’s super rich.  So, lost her birth mother, had a sibling who went insane and even tried to kill her, noble do-gooder, and billionaire.  Sound like anyone you know?  Oh, she’s pretty darn smart too.”

Kara’s mouth opened and closed several times before she snapped off her glasses and practically threw them to her sister.  “I’ve got to get changed.”

As Kara sped out of the room leaving a gust of wind behind, Alex whispered, “Is all of that true?”

Maggie nodded.

“You used to date a billionaire?”

Maggie whispered back, “Hey, if your sister doesn’t close the deal with Lena, and you don’t stop fighting me on the vegan wedding cake, I could again.  Lena eats vegan.  I’m vegan.”

Alex rolled her eyes.

Before either of them could say another word, another gust of wind marked Kara’s return.  The blonde was wearing a black sheath dress.  It was high around the neck but left her shoulders bare, and it ended a few inches above the knees.  She wore earrings and a simple bracelet, her hair in an updo that was very tightly put together.

As Kara pulled on her heels, she said, “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Daammnn Danvers,” Maggie said running an appraising gaze over the blonde, “That does not come from the Adult Gap collection.  Babe, she get that dress from you?”

“Not mine, but I’d borrow it.  Where have you been hiding that, Kara?”

“Um...I sort of bought it when...Red K.”

“Huh?”

“Oh.  And you kept it?”  Alex asked.

“It’s nice, right?”  Kara asked, holding her arms apart.  “Plus, I kind of set most of my wardrobe on fire with…” With two fingers, she made motions from her eyes.”

“Not your finest moment,” Alex admitted.  “But, you were under the influence.”

“I also don’t make enough to buy all new clothes every time I set them on fire.  I can barely afford to replace the ones I lose when I drop something in an emergency Supergirl change.”

“Maybe you should marry a billionaire.”

Alex turned, glaring at Maggie.

“What!?” Maggie said.  “Any old billionaire is fine.  Kate is nice, though at the wedding she probably won’t know your name so—”

“Enough!”  Alex took Kara’s arm, walking her toward the door.  Grabbing keys from the coffee table, Alex held them out.  “Please don’t scratch my car.”

“Alex, I’m a great driver.”

“Kara, you’re an awful driver.”

“I’ve got Kryptonian reflexes.”

“Cars have Earth physics.  Go slow, and watch out for animal, and humans, and red lights, and sidewalks, and—”

“Do you just want to drive her, Danvers?”

Dropping the keys into her sister’s hand, Alex said, “Just be careful.”

“Don’t worry.  You two run surveillance from up here.  I’ll keep an eye out from inside the party.  Oh, who’s going to be on the ground from the DEO?”

“Kara, just relax.  I’ve got the team covered.  You just be Kara Danvers unless we need Supergirl.  We still don’t have a report that Janković has landed in National City.  Tonight, you’re just Kara Danvers.”

“Tonight, I’m just Kara Danvers.”  Kara nodded.  “Kara Danvers.  I can do that.  I’m awesome at doing that.  I’ve got this.”

As her sister walked to the door, Alex called out, “Hey, Kara?”

Kara turned, smiling. “Yeah?”

Alex held up Kara’s glasses.

With an awkward laugh, Kara bounced her way back to Alex.  “Right, my glasses because I’m Kara Danvers, and Kara Danvers wears glasses.  Duh.  Thanks, Alex.”

“Kara, just relax and have fun, okay?”

“I’ll try,” Kara said nodding a little bit too eagerly.

Maggie and Alex sat down, opening their laptops.  After about a minute, Alex went to the door and watched the elevator.  She nodded, closing the door and coming back to the couch.

“Okay, she’s at the ground floor.  We’re good,” she said closing her laptop and picking up the TV remote, turning on the TV.

Maggie closed her laptop and asked, “What do you want to order for dinner, or do you want to surveil me, and I can surveil you first?”  She picked her half-finished beer up from the table, waggling her eyebrows.

“You little shit.”

“What?”  Maggie asked.

“I can’t believe you set Lena up with another superhero.”

Maggie shrugged.  “Kate is more of a vigilante.  She doesn’t have superpowers.  Well, there is this thing she does with her...”  Pausing and looking at the other woman, Maggie cleared her throat.  “Okay, that would have been inappropriate even for me.”

“Apparently, you do have a learning curve.  Apparently, you want to have sex again this month.”

Taking a sip of her beer of her beer and changing the subject, Maggie said, “The Lena and Kate thing, do you think it’s a problem?”

Flipping through the channels, Alex considered.  “Only if Lena has a type.”


	8. They Call Me Bell, They Call Me Stacey

In the early part of December, L-Corp hosted an annual thank you party for their investors.  Dozens of millionaires would gather to hobnob with the company’s board and c-suite and also meet some of the brightest minds the company employed.  It was commonplace for an unveiling of a new piece of tech to take place, and thus, the press appeared in droves if they were lucky enough to be on the invite list for this prestigious and select event.

There was a large and impressive Christmas tree with presents for all in attendance underneath.  It stood over twenty feet high and was lit with only white LED lights.  The ornaments were varied from some high-end silver and gold pieces actually made with silver and gold to other pieces handmade by children at the Luthor Children’s Hospital and Luthor Home For Children.  It was both classy and welcoming, and in every way said, ‘Lena Luthor’.  

On a table was set a manger that stood about two feet tall and just under four feet long.  The only light was the one that represented the star on top.  The pieces for the manager, like the manager itself, were all wooden.  There were barn animals, wise men, angels, Joseph, Mary, and an empty cradle, but no baby Jesus.  As was a Luthor family tradition, he wouldn’t be placed until after midnight on the 25th of December, Christmas morning.  Compared to the tree, this piece was entirely understated.  It looked much like the manger that Lena had inherited from the Luthors but had left packed away for the last few years.

A small group of people was gathering around one last item.  It was a menorah, maybe two feet high.  It had nine candles on it as it was the eighth day of Chanukkah.  One blue one, the shamash, sat in the middle slightly higher than the rest above a Star of David.  From left to right the candles were blue, white, blue, white, etc.

“You have a menorah,” Kate said matter-of-factly.

Lena nodded.  “We have Jewish employees and guests.  Tonight is the last night of Chanukkah.  If you’ll excuse me for a moment, I have to attend to the ceremony.  I don’t really do anything.  I’m just present.  I’ll be—”  Kate’s hand on Lena’s arm stopped her.  “Ah, right.  You’re my bodyguard.  Well, come along.  You can bodyguard me over there then.  Just stand next to me for a few moments and be quiet and respectful, all right?”

“Quiet and respectful?” Kate asked.

Lena nodded.  “People will be praying while they light candles.”

“Berakhot.”

“What?”

“Berakhot,” Kate repeated.  “They’re the blessings.  On every night after the first night, we say two prayers, l’hadlik neir, a general prayer over the candles, and she-asah nisim, a prayer thanking God for performing miracles for our ancestors at this time.”

“You’re Jewish,” Lena said with a single nod. “I apologize for making an assumption. Perhaps then you’d be willing to educate me so I can do more than stand around and smile like a rich ass annually...though I am quite good at it.”

Smiling, Kate put her hand on Lena’s back and began to steer her toward the group of people by the menorah. “Come with me, goy.”

“Goy?”  Lena furrowed her brows at the other woman.  “Should I be insulted?”

Kate continued to smile.  “Not at all.  I just called you a gentile.  So, the candle in the middle is the shammus.  We use it to light the others from left to right because you pay honor to the newer things first.”

“Candles are added the opposite way though,” Lena commented.

“Correct,” Kate replied.  “Right to left just like the Hebrew language.  On the first day, one candle is lit and after that one more each day because we increase in sanctity.  Now, quick history lesson.  When Alexander the Great conquered Palestine, Egypt, and Syria he was relatively benevolent and left people to fairly autonomous rule with their own religions intact.  About a century later, Antiochus IV took control, and his rule was oppressive.  He placed a Hellenistic priest in the temple, massacred the Jews, prohibited practicing our religion, and required those who took over the temple to sacrifice pigs on the altar thereby desecrating the temple.  A revolt was led that retook the temple and led to its rededication.  Got it?”

Lena nodded.  “So, it celebrates the victory of regaining the temple?” Lena asked.

Kate shook her head. “No, we don’t celebrate military victory.  It celebrates the miracle of the oil.  To rededicate the temple, they needed oil for the menorah, but very little oil was left that hadn’t been defiled by the Greeks.  They only had enough oil for one day, but it burned for eight days which was enough time to prepare a fresh supply of oil.  That’s what the holiday commemorates.  Jews don’t glorify war.”

“Ah.”  Lena nodded sagely.  “I wish the same could be said of my religion.  I wish the same could be said of my family.  Luthors glorify every victory no matter the cost to others. We’ve certainly done much harm to others through violence.”

“You do realize my father is a colonel, and my stepmother owns Hamilton Arms.  Which one of our families do you think has led to more of the physical violence of others?”

With one eyebrow quirked up, Lena replied, “If you were to take a poll as to whose family had led to the harm of more people, the Kanes or the Luthors, Who do you think more than 99% of the people would say if not 100%?”

Smiling, Kate replied, “Hey, the one thing you can always count on people to be is ignorant.”

Kate and Lena joined in the ceremony, Lena quietly while Kate took part in the blessings.  When they were done, the couple joined people in conversations and then began to mingle about the room.  It was early in the evening, and the meet and greet had just started.

Kara stood by the buffet table feeding her mouth and her nerves.  As always, the food was spectacular.  There was a selection of potstickers which had been ordered before she and Lena had their not so little falling out.  The Kryptonian was making a decent dent in them and putting the servers through their paces as the crew tried to keep up with one woman’s appetite.  There were also several fried foods all labeled.  Of course, there were latkes, pancakes made of grated potato.  Near them were a similar dish called laviva which were slices of fried potato.  The bimuelos, a deep fried fritter sprinkled in powdered sugar, were piled high on a platter.  There were also sfenj, a non-perfectly shaped yeast doughnut dipped in honey.  Last, but certainly not least, were the sufganiyot.  These cream filled doughnuts were soft and fluffy, and several lined the edges of Kara’s plate and were all going quickly from table to plate through mouth, and into stomach.

Plate in hand, Kara stood watching the crowd.  She lowered her glasses and looked out and about the surrounding area for anyone or anything suspicious or untoward.  She watched the woman she was guarding work the room, talking to investors and potential investors brought as plus ones with an easy grace gained from a lifetime of training and perhaps a genetic trait that was indeed her ‘Luthor genes’.  Then Kara watched the redhead.  Not quite as masterful in the investor crowd but still comfortable and charming, Kate Kane had an easy smile and ready wit that charmed all with whom she came into contact...all but one alien who seemed to have an easily forgettable name.  

The two women stood talking to two older gentlemen.  They were bankers, and they were discussing loans and the like, and Kate said, “Oh, I know what you mean.  I went to the bank last month for a loan.  It wasn’t a lot.  I just needed $4,000.  You know how that is.”  There was a bit of an awkward silence in the group at that, but Kate continued on unfazed.  “The loan officer there knows me well, knows my family, and agreed readily enough, but said they’d still need some collateral before they could just hand over money like that.  Well, I pulled out the keys for my car, it’s a 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera, and handed them over.  I told her it was parked in the lot, and they were welcome to keep it as collateral until I returned.  Really it was only a short loan, a few weeks while I did some traveling and until my money was freed up again.  It’s a bit of an embarrassing subject, but anyway, they had no problem writing the loan.  When I came back and paid off the loan and the $11 in interest, the manager sat down with me.  Apparently, they had looked at my finances in my absences and noted that there was no way I needed a loan for $4,000.  He’s a business friend of my mother’s, so he just asked me why I borrowed the money.”  Kate paused, smiling a bit as she sipped at her drink, her eyes sparkling as she watched her audience.  Then she shrugged.  “It was really quite simple, so I explained it to him.  My family didn’t get rich by being wasteful.  Where else can you park your car in National City for three weeks for $11?”  She cocked her head to the side and grinned.  

Lena was the first one to crack up, and then the bankers caught onto the joke and began to laugh also.

Leaning into Katie’s shoulder, a laugh still in her voice, Lena said, “You’re really too much.”

Kate turned so she was face-to-face Lena, their lips perhaps an inch apart as she whispered back, “I could be just enough if you were interested.”

Three more potstickers at once went into Kara’s mouth as she chewed with an angry intensity.

“Kara?”

Turning at the sound of her name, Kara saw the concerned face of Sam Arias.  Chewing a little faster, Kara swallowed hard in a way that would have definitely hurt a human and might have choked them.

Managing an awkward smile once her mouth was empty, Kara said, “Oh, hey, Sam.  How are you enjoying the party?”

“Me?  I’m having a fine time.”  Looking over her shoulder, Sam turned back toward Kara with a heavy brow.  “Who’s that woman with Lena?  I’ve been so busy meeting investors that I haven’t gotten an introduction.”

“Oh...That’s Kate Kane.”

“Kate Kane?”  Sam seemed to mull the name over for a moment.  “Wait, is her stepmother Catherine Hamilton Kane as in Hamilton Arms?”

“Would that make her mega-rich?”

With a gentle smile, Sam replied, “That would make her mega-rich.”

Kara snagged a champagne flute from a passing waiter, taking a too big swallow as she nodded.  “The one and the same.  She’s very…”  Kara drank a bit more champagne.

“I didn’t realize it was a work thing.  They seem rather chummy, you know?”

“Oh, I know,” Kara replied between gritted teeth.

Sam angled her eyebrows and examined the other woman again.  “Are you all right?  You seem a little...”  She looked over to where Kate stood with her hand on Lena, the open-back dress allowing for flesh-to-flesh contact in a way that seemed overly familiar for business.  Meeting Kara’s gaze again, Sam’s faced gentled, and she gave a sympathetic squeeze of Kara’s arm.  “Hey, want me to see if I can peel Miss Kane off for some business talk and you can go get some time in with Lena?”

Face falling forward, Kara shook her head.  “Lena and I aren’t exactly talking right now.”

“What happened?”

“We had a sort of...falling out I guess you’d call it.  I screwed something up, and now she’s mad at me.”

“A work thing, right?”  Sam hazarded a guess.  “Lena can be a bit of a perfectionist.  She has incredibly high standards, and if anyone knows how hard it is to live up to them, it’s me.  Are you having problems over at Catco with the new boss?”

“I wish,” Kara said breathing out heavily.  She lifted her head meeting Sam’s gaze.  “It’s a personal issue.  There’s a...a thing I should have told Lena a long time ago that I’ve been keeping from her pretty much from the day we met.  I finally told her.  Now she’s mad, like really, really mad.  Like Luthor mad.”

“Luthor mad?”  Sam shook her head.  “I don’t even know what that means.  Anyway, it can’t be that bad.  Lena acts tough, but she’s spun sugar on the inside.  You of all people, Kara, should know the difference between the real Lena and her reputation.”

“I don’t know,” Kara began to mutter.  “The last time a Luthor was this mad I’m pretty sure Lex destroyed half of Metropolis.”

“Please.”  Sam laughed.  “Lena is not Lex, and you are not Superman.”

Eyes suddenly wide open, Kara said, “I’m not Superman.”

“That’s what I said.”

Nodding, Kara downed the last of her champagne, put the glass on the tray of a passing waiter, and began to pile her plate with food again, stuffing some into her mouth as she did so.

“Hungry?” Sam asked, also picking up a plate and beginning to fill it.

“Mu-huh,” Kara agreed around a mouthful of crab rangoon which she swallowed.  “Always.”

“Me too lately.  I think it’s these long hours.”  She placed several potstickers on her plate either ignoring or not noticing the territorial look Kara gave her.  “I swear I wasn’t even this hungry when I was pregnant with Ruby.  I’m really tired all the time lately too.  Hey, you’re not pregnant are you?”  Sam smirked.

“What?  Me?  No, I...Impossible.  I can’t...I…”  Head shaking, Kara’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly at the end.

“Right, no time to date with all of this work.  Same here.  Plus for you…”  Sam looked over her shoulder then turned back with a knowing smile to Kara again.

Kara followed Sam’s gaze, scanned the crowd, felt her jaw tense as Kate’s hand ran down Lena’s arm as the redhead laughed it utter amusement.  Shaking her head in a mixture of confusion and foul mood, she looked back and Sam and said, “Huh?”

With an eye roll, Sam patted Kara’s shoulder.  “You know Kara, you write great articles from what I’ve read, and some of them even seem to be really good investigative pieces.  I can’t figure that part out though.  I guess you can’t see the forest for the trees...or is it the trees for the forest?  Oh, well.  I’ve got to get back to the latest table of boring people at whom I’m smiling and telling them they’re fascinating.  Good luck with your appetite and staring at whatever is going on over there.  I’m glad the human race isn’t depending on your keen observation skills for survival.”  With a mini-tower of food, Sam wandered back through the crowd.

Shoving another potsticker into her mouth, Kara chewed on it as she watched the CFO disappear.  “Oh, you’d be surprised, Sam.”

 

<><> 

 

“We should have done this six months ago.”

Smiling at her fiancée who was curled into her shoulder, Alex said, “Oh, now you see the merit of Lena’s and Kara’s relationship?”

Pushing a button to look through options on the picture-in-picture, Maggie replied, “Now I see the merit in a 98-inch flat screen with surround sound, all the premium channels, room lighting and temperature you can control from the remote, a coffee maker that costs more than most of the cars that I owned, and the most amazing view of the city I’ve ever seen.”

Clearing her throat, Alex narrowed her eyes at the other woman.

“What, did I forget to mention the hot tub outside?  I see the merits in that too.  I just haven’t gotten to sample its merits.”

“You know—” Alex’s phone rang.

“Saved by the bell.”

“It’s Kara,” Alex said recognizing the song even before the picked up the phone.  “Check in with Kate while I see what my sister wants.”  Answering the phone, Alex said, “Hey Kara, anything wrong?”

_“Nothing, Alex.  I just can’t tell who the agents are and I’m nervous.”_

“You’re not supposed to be able to tell who they are.  That’s the point of undercover.”

_“I know that, Alex, but usually I know who they are.  I don’t even recognize anyone here.  Well, I recognize some of them, but they just all look like waitstaff and scientists.  Wait, you don’t have agents working at L-Corp, do you?”_

“Kara, the less you know, the less you have to tell to Lena because you’re not lying to her anymore, right?”

A sigh came over the line.   _“Right.  I still don’t like it.  So, do you have eyes on Lena?”_

Alex turned to Maggie.

One thumb up, Maggie nodded and turned the laptop so Alex could see the screen.

“I sure do, Kara,” Alex replied.  “She’s speaking to a man and a woman right now.  The man is in his sixties, balding with some gray hair in the back, wearing a tux with a blue bow tie.  The woman is about the same age and wearing a dress in a matching shade of blue.  They seem to be having a good time.”

 _“Yeah, everyone does,”_ Kara grumbled.

“What’s wrong, Kar?”

_“How well do we really know this Kate Kane?  Are we sure we can trust her?  Was she fully vetted?”_

“Um...yeah, by Batman I think.”

_“Batman.  Another vigilante, what does he know?”_

“Isn’t he supposedly the world’s greatest detective?”

_“Yeah, **supposedly** like I’m **supposedly** the last daughter of Krypton, the lone surviving daughter of the House of El._

“Kar, you are the last daughter of Krypton, the lone surviving daughter of the House of El,” Alex reminded her sister.  “What’s really going on?”

_“Nothing, I just...nothing.  Does Lena look like she’s having fun tonight?”_

“Honestly?”

_“Please.”_

Alex considered.  “She looks like she’s putting on the right face for the corporate audience and laughing and smiling at all the right moments.  I bet her feet and back are killing her.  She’d probably be much happier here at home curled up reading, watching TV, maybe in that hot tub of hers.  You ever try that hot tub?”

_“Yeah, it’s nice.”_

“She’s tried the hot tub?”  Maggie asked.

Alex waved her fiancée off.  “Maybe tonight after you the party you can convince Lena to spend some time in the hot tub.  Maybe you two could do that together.”

_“I don’t know that she’s talking to me.”_

“Is she sitting quietly in the same room with you?”

_“Maybe?”_

“Just ask her, Kara.  It’s a no if you don’t ask her.  It could be a yes if you ask her, so ask her, okay?”

_“O...Okay.  I’ll try.”_

“Good girl.  Now, let me go back to watching Lena.  I also need to do a check in with the security team.  I’ll let you know if I hear anything.  If you don’t hear from me, everything is clear.”

_“Thanks, Alex.”_

“No problem, Kara.  Love you, sweetie.”

_“Love you too.”_

Disconnecting, Alex let out a long breath.  “Okay, you can tell Kate we’re all set and disconnect from the boob cam.”

“Boob cam.”  Maggie chuckled.  “Hey, Kate, we’re going to let you go for now.  If Kara gets nervous, we’ll be in touch again.”

A casual thumbs up flashed across the screen as a hand moved across a body to settle on Lena’s shoulder.  Then Maggie cut the connection, and the video image was gone.

Alex shook her head.  “You have the craziest connections.  Why didn’t you ever tell me you dated a billionaire who happened to be Batwoman?”

“Why didn’t you ever ask?”

“Who would ever ask...?  Whatever.  Well, damn convenient that she travels with her own diamond surveillance equipment.  Hey, you don’t have any other billionaire superhero exes I should know about, do you?”

“Billionaire?  No.”  Maggie smirked.  “You don’t have any other superhero sisters I should know about, do you?”

Rising and heading toward the kitchen, Alex replied, “Sisters?  No.  Want some ice cream?”

“Yes please.”

Alex came out of the kitchen about two minutes later with two pints of ice cream, one Ben & Jerry’s Fudge Brownie and another something vegan for Maggie, and two spoons.  She wiggled them both in her hands in front of her a bit as she said, “Want to eat these in the hot tub?”

“Ah, no can do.  I didn’t bring my bathing suit.”

Grinning wickedly and walking backward, Alex waggled her eyebrows.  “Neither did I.”

Maggie scrambled to her knees on the couch and then over the back.  Alex was already on the move and running toward the outside pool area.

“Get our phones!” Alex yelled.

“Crap!”  Running back, Maggie rolled over the back of the couch to land with a gentle thud on the seat, then grabbed both phones and did a less graceful version of her first vault but still managed to land on her feet on the floor behind the couch.  She pushed a phone in each pocket, then hopped on one foot then the other, pulling off a sock each time.  She built up speed as her shirt was left on the dining room floor, and she rounded the corner, skidding and bouncing on one foot, hot on Alex’s trail.

 

<><> 

 

“Welcome home!” Alex said as she smiled up from the couch when Kate and Lena walked in.  As the door closed, she asked, “Where’s Kara?”

“Who’s Kara?” Kate asked.

“She was standing in the lobby when our elevator headed up.  She should be right behind us,” Lena said.

There was a knock on the door, but when Kate and Lena continued into the apartment, Alex rose, letting in her sister.  “Hey, miss the elevator?”

“I was checking the rest of the apartments,” Kara said as she headed inside.  “Then I took the stairs.”

“In those heels?” Alex asked.

Kara shrugged.  “I’m light on my feet.  So, how was your evening?”

“Tedious, boring, you know how surveillance goes,” Maggie said.  “We ate though I’m sure not as well as you guys did.  How was the food at the party?  What we saw of it looked good, right babe?”

“Uh, yeah,” Alex agreed.  “Plenty of potstickers, Kara?”

“Oh, yeah.  The food was so good, Mags.  I’m sorry you guys had to miss it.  I wish you had been there.”

“Maybe next time, Kara.  Someone had to stay home and run the Op.  Keeping Lena safe was what was important.”

“You’re the best,” Kara said hugging her sister.  Pulling back she frowned slightly.  “Is your hair damp?”

“Oh uh…” Alex patted at the back of her neck under her hair.  “Yeah, Maggie dumped a drink on me.”

“Well, you dumped one on me first.”

“So you had to retaliate?  Very mature, Sawyer.”  Smiling over at Lena, she added, “Don’t worry.  It was in the kitchen.  Your furniture was safe.”

“Appreciated, Agent Danvers.  Well, as lovely as this is, I need to go change.  Ladies, have a good—”

“Wait, someone needs to check the top two floors,” Kara said, stepping between Lena and the stairs.

“Kara, Maggie and I have been here all night.”

“Yeah, Little Danvers.  We did regular sweeps.  Your sister and I do happen to know our jobs.  It’s not like we were just sitting on our butts, watching TV, maybe fooling around in the hot tub while you were a nervous wreck all night.”  Maggie stumbled a bit when Alex shoved her.

“I know you’re both very professional, but still, I’d feel better if I checked myself.  I can pick up on things other people could miss.  You know that.”

“Come on, Kara.  Don’t—”

“Babe.”  Maggie shook her head.  “It will be faster to let her do this than argue with her.”

Arms folded, Alex said, “Fine, but I’m insulted.”

“Noted,” Kara replied.  “Lena, I’ll just be a minute.  Stay here.”

“Kara, I hardly think this is necessary.”

Taking a step closer to the other woman, Kara reached out but then withdrew her hand without touching.  “Hey, you said you trusted me to keep you safe.  Did you mean that?”

“I…”  Lena nodded.

“Then trust me.”

“Fine.  I’ll wait here.”

“Thanks.”  In a breeze, Kara was gone out of the room.

Spinning, mouth agape, Lena stared at Kate, then she turned to look back and forth between Alex and Maggie.  “She..what about…?”  She glanced over at Kate again.

“Oh, Kate already knows,” Maggie said.

“She does?!” Lena said with clear shock.

“Yup,” Maggie replied.

Turning to Kate, Lena said, “You do?!”

Kate shrugged, “Sure.”

“I...but…” Eyes narrowing and mouth a tight line, Lena pulled herself up to her full height as she pointed accusingly at Kate.  “Okay, who the fuck are you?”

Head pulled back, Kate pointed at herself.  “Kate, Kate Kane of Hamilton Arms?  I also do--”

“Bull and shit!” Lena announced as she continued to glare.  “That may be your name, and that may be your family, but that is not the business about which I am inquiring!  You are not just some rich bitch!”  She spun on Alex.  “You are not an FBI agent” She spun on Maggie.  “And you—!”

“I’m really a cop.  I’m really a cop,” Maggie replied, hands held up in defense.

“What’s going on?” Kara said from right next to Lena.  

“Jesus!” Lena took several staggering steps away from the other woman.  “Can’t anyone be normal around here?”

Maggie held up her hand.  “I’m still just a cop.”

“Why are you yelling?  What happened?” Kara asked.

“You got Kate in trouble,” Alex informed.

Kara smiled.  “I did?  I mean...oops?  What did I do?”

“Kate knows you’re Supergirl,” Maggie said.

“Ah.  Well, I didn’t tell her.”  Finger to her nose, Kara said, “Not it.”

“Kara, sometimes you still act like you did when you were five.”

“You didn’t know me when I was five, Alex.”

“Earth five.”

“Oh.”  Kara shrugged.  “I guess.”

“All right, if you didn’t tell her, who did?” Lena asked.

“I don’t out people,” Kara said, then pointed at Kate.  “And tell your boss I’m mad at him.”

“His life is not a popularity contest, and he’s not my boss.”

“Is she a superhero?  Are you a superhero?” Lena asked.

“Ha!  She wishes. She’s just human.”

Lena quipped an eyebrow at Kara.  “And what’s wrong with being human?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with it, Karla?”

“What no I...that’s not my name!  No, Lena, there’s nothing wrong with being human.  My sister’s human.  I love humans.  Like my sister.  Like sister love.  And you I...um...sister...and...feelings…”

“Kara?”  When her sister looked at her, Alex mimed zipping her lips, locking them, and throwing away the key.

Nodding quickly, Kara sucked in her lower lip.

“Any intention of telling me how you knew?” Lena asked Kate.

“Nope.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Hey, don’t get pissy with me, Lena.  You and I just met today.  I haven’t been keeping anything from you.”

“That’s true,” Lena admitted.  “How long have you know Kara?”

“I just met her today too.”

“You just...seriously?  What the fuck is going on here?  I’ve known you for over a year, Kara, and I had no idea what was going on, and yet someone who just met you today knows you’re Supergirl?  Unbelievable.”  Lena sighed.  “Are my mother and I the only two people on this planet who don’t know?”

Kara, Lena, and Maggie shared an awkward look.

“You are fucking kidding me!”

“Lena, let me explain about—”

“Done, I’m done with this!”  Lena said stomping out of the room and up the stairs with enough force that it spoke to the workmanship and architectural design that the stairs didn’t shatter or at least crack.  She left silence in her wake.

Once Lena had disappeared from the room, it was Kate to pierce the still and say, “Someone should go talk to her.”  When Kara just examined the carpet, toeing at it and refusing to make eye contact, Kate smirked in a way that carried into her voice.  “You know, I think Lena and I really hit it off.  She’s probably in her bedroom in need of comfort.  I’ve got this.”

Kate was most of the way to the stairs when Alex hissed out, “Kara!”

“What?” she responded, jumping slightly.

“Grow a backbone!”

“Kryptonian’s are vertebrates.  I’m a vertebrate,” Kara said defensively.

“Argh.  Then use it.”  Alex pointed at Kate who was making her way up the stairs.  “You are one of the greatest heroes on this planet.  You are Kara Zor-El, daughter of the House of El, protector of National City.  You’re my sister, damn it.  You’re the bravest person I know.  Remember who you are.”

Nodding once with a sudden assurance, Kara turned toward the stairs but then turned back and enveloped her sister in a hug whispering, “You’re the bravest person I know.”  She was gone before Alex had a chance to react, suddenly on the landing to the second floor, blocking Kate’s path.

“You need something?” Kate asked all bravado.

“I’ve got this,” Kara replied, not quite matching the redhead in attitude but making her intention clear.

“Look, Karly, I think—”

Glasses suddenly in her hand, Kara stared down with glowing yellow eyes.  “My name’s Kara.  It’s not Karla, it’s not Karly, and it’s not babe.  Remember it.”

“Well.” Kate nodded once.  “That’s intimidating.”

Putting her glasses back in place as her eyes returned to blue, Kara smiled and tilted her head a bit to the side.  Her whole posture relaxed, and her usual sunny disposition returned.  “It was nice meeting you, Kate.  Have a safe trip back to Gotham.”  Taking to the air, she made the short trip to the third floor and disappeared from sight.

Kate returned to the first floor, grinning.  “Okay, I found her.”

“Found who?” Maggie asked.

“The girl who carried a space station.  It’s kind of hot, actually.”

“Yeah, until she burns your face off,” Alex replied, arms crossed as she watched Kate, unamused.

Kate laughed, rubbing along her jaw.  “No thanks.  I like my face.  So, which one is real?”

“Hmmm?” Alex’s brows drew together.

“You know, is she ‘Little Miss Prance Through the Daisies’ or ‘Little Miss Chernobyl on a Bad Day’?” Kate clarified.

“Kara?” Alex dropped her arms and sighed as she nodded.  “Yes.  Most of the times she’s just the sweetest and happiest person you’ll ever meet.  Something goes wrong, someone’s mean to her, and she smiles and assumes there’s a way to work it out or to make a friend of them.  She is the definition of optimist.  Deep inside though there’s something else.  Deep inside is the person who was launched into space with one mission: protect your baby cousin and teach him our culture.  She watched her whole world get ripped apart, and that explosion threw her into a void where she didn’t age but was vaguely aware of the passage of time...over twenty years of it.  When she finally came to Earth, her cousin was an adult who didn’t know her, didn’t need her, had found his own way, and sent her to live with humans.  She manages a smile every day in almost every situation, but underneath it all is more rage than most humans can comprehend, and the ability to destroy…” Alex let that linger and then just stretched out her hands in either direction.

Pursing her lips, Kate said, “So, don’t poke the bear?”

“Eh, usually if you feed the bear it stays hibernating,” Maggie added.

“Well, that’s true,” Alex agreed.  “That girl can eat.  Feed her, and you’ll make a friend.”

“Taking note of that,” Kate said with a grin.

“So, Kate, have you seen the hot tub?” Maggie asked.

“Nope.”

“Come on.  I’ll give you the tour.  The hot tub is the best part.”

“Maggie, no,” Alex said flatly.

“What?”

“You don’t have a swimsuit.  She doesn’t have a swimsuit.  You two don’t have swimsuits,” Alex informed.

“O-kay,” Kate drawled.  “Is she trying to tell us something, or was that an English lesson?”

“Alex, relax.”  Maggie smiled.  “Kate and I have already seen everything.  That lesson in the past.”

“Right, our anatomy is history, not English.”

Laughing, Maggie knocked shoulders with Kate...well, shoulder to upper arm.  “That was funny.”

“You know, you’ve mellowed with age, babe,” Kate replied.

“Well I haven’t...mellowed...or seen...or...no.”  Arms folded, Alex shook her head.

“Alex, come here.”  Maggie held out her hand until Alex joined her, the redhead being pulled into a one-armed embrace.  “Kate’s stuff is upstairs.  I think we should wait until Kara comes back down until anyone goes up, don’t you?”

“Oh.”  Alex nodded.  “You’re right.  Sorry, I just…” Leaning into Maggie’s neck, Alex whispered, “You have a type.”

Smiling, Maggie turned her head and kissed Alex gently.  “And a fiancée.”

“You guys are cute.  You did good, Mags.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll keep her.  Come on.  I saw some more stairs.  Let’s see if we can find another way to the pool room.  I mean the game not swimming.  Who wants to get embarrassed by me first?”

Alex and Kate both laughed and then together said, “Whatever, Sawyer.”

They looked at each other, surprised, then smiling.

Maggie looked back and forth between the two of them, and then pulling Alex closer said, “Apparently, I have a type.”

 

<><> 

 

Kara had stood in the hallway down from Lena’s room for a few minutes.  Though she’d started off with quick and powerful strides on her way here, each step closer had been slower and less determined.  About ten feet back she’d stopped altogether.  Now she stood studying her hands, practicing what she would say again and again.  When the obvious stalling technique brought her no closer to an answer, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and stepped to the doorway.

Lena’s head rose sharply at the knock on the open door, her eyes narrowing at the person standing there as she spoke from a tightly held jaw.  “What do you want?”

“World peace.  Honestly, I really do want world peace.  I know a lot of people say that, but I want it.  I know it isn’t just a purely altruistic gesture on my part.  It would make my life a whole lot simpler if people would stop trying purposefully to harm each other.  If I only had to deal with accidents, natural disasters, medical emergencies, you know.”  Kara shrugged and took a hesitant step into the room.  “You want world peace too, don’t you?”

“Well, of course.”

She smiled gently.  “Then we at least have that in common.  That’s something, right?”

Looking down to study her hands, Lena said, “I want to end world hunger and disease too.”

Heartened, Kara walked further into the room.  “I know that about you.  I love...that about you.  You’re such a good person, Lena.  You don’t just want these things to happen.  You try and make these things happen.  You care so much about people that you’ve never met, and you’re actively trying to allay their suffering.  You make a difference.”

“So do you,” Lena said, her gaze meeting Kara’s again.  “You do it with your words and with your powers.  Both of you do it.  Well...both sides of you.  I always thought so.  I always thought both of you and I had such essential things in common.  I always thought we were…”  Looking away again, Lena shook her head.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”  When she looked back, Lena said, “I’ve got to assume you didn’t tell my mother unless it was under extreme duress.  Am I going to get this story?”

Kara pointed to the end of the bed, and Lena nodded.  Sitting, Kara said, “Thank you.  I didn’t tell her.  I was shocked when she told me she knew.  I’d met her as both Kara and Supergirl, and she didn’t tip her hand that she knew who I was.  She never told me how she knew, but there’s only one way that makes sense.”

Lena waited while emotions played along Kara’s face.

Nodding to herself, Kara continued, “Hank Henshaw told her.”

“Hank Henshaw?” Lena asked with obvious surprise.  “How in the hell would he know?”

“It’s...well, it’s my fault.  Again, I didn’t tell him, but it is my fault.  You see, it was the first year after I’d come to Earth.  I was pretty full of myself, feeling like everything humans did was remedial.  I remember Alex was in this advanced placement Calculus class, and I made fun of her because I took Calculus when I was four.  I—” Lena’s hand on her stopped Kara.

“We’re going back to the math thing, but go on.”

Nodding quickly, Kara continued.  “I used to go out flying, and I pushed Alex to go with me one night.  I guess I sort of bullied her into it.  We went out to the ocean.  It was a great night until it wasn’t.  We came home, and then these men showed up at the house.  One of them was Hank Henshaw he worked for...ah...I don’t want to keep secrets from you Lena, but I’m not sure I’m allowed to tell you the name of—”

“The DEO?” Lena guessed.

“Oh, yeah.  Okay.  So, Hank worked for the DEO, and they picked up a low flying rapid object, a UFO, on their radar.”  Kara pointed to herself.  “It led back to the Danvers home.  They came for me.  I was caught.”

“That’s how you came to be…?  I’m confused.”

“I’m not done.”

Holding up a hand at just the wrist, Lena said, “I apologize.”

“No, it’s my fault.  I learned English pretty quickly, but when I get nervous, I sometimes have problems with it still.  It’s not my native language.  It’s not even one of my first dozen languages.  There are just some concepts that don’t translate into English.  For basic conversation I’m fine, and when I have time, like when I’m writing a story and can do revisions and edits, I do well, but when I’m nervous and emotional, I tend to babble and stammer.”

“Not one of your first dozen languages.”

Kara nodded.

Lena pointed.  “We’re coming back to that too.  Go on with your story, Kara.”

Taking her glasses by the frames and pushing them up, Kara said, “Okay.  So, when the DEO showed up for the UFO, Jeremiah, that’s Alex’s dad, he went and spoke to Hank.  He was a scientist.  Alex and I didn’t know it at the time, but he offered himself and his research in return for me, and the DEO took him up on it.  A year later we got word that he died.”

Lena frowned.  “He works for my mother along with Mr. Henshaw.”

“They both _died_ on the same mission.  Somehow your mother found them and saved them, but we only found that out last year.  Your mother has been blackmailing Jeremiah with my identity for all these years so that—”

“Good God.” Lena rose and walked a few feet away, not looking at Kara.  After a few moments, she said, “She’s a monster.  Why do I still love her?”

“Well, she’s your mom,” Kara replied hesitantly as she rose.

Turning, Lena replied, “She’s a murderer, a blackmailer, a—”

“Your mom,” Kara said as she walked up to Lena.  

“One does not excuse the other.”

Fretting at her lips, Kara finally said, “Our parents disappoint us because they’re not the people we saw them as when we were children.  When we put people on pedestals, they can only fall, but for all of your mother’s faults, she’s still around, and she loves you too.”

“Kara.”  Lena shook her head.  “You see the good in everyone, and when it isn’t there, you have so much love in you, you just see it anyway.  My mother only had enough love in her for one child, and it wasn’t me.  I honestly have no idea why I keep trying with her, if you can call having her arrested trying.  I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”  Face falling forward, Lena let out a heavy sigh.

Stepping in close, Kara wrapped her arms around Lena and pulled her in for an embrace as she whispered, “From where I stand, not a thing.”

Eventually, Kara and Lena made their way back downstairs to where Alex, Maggie, and Kate were engrossed in a heated firearm debate.  

It took Kara clearing her throat to pull them out of their conversation.  “So, if Kate has been avoiding getting changed because of us, the coast is clear.”

“Thanks, Kara,” Kate said as she rose from the couch.  “We’ve definitely passed formal wear o’clock here.  I’ll go get changed while Maggie and Alex fill you in on the next leg of our plan.”

“Our plan?  What’s our plan?” Kara asked.

“Well, Lena does need round the clock protection,” Alex pointed out.  “You’re at Catco, which is great, Kara, but she needs someone to be with her in the off hours.”

“I’m here,” Kara said.  “I’ve got this.”

“Yeah, but you’ve also got _other duties_ , Little Danvers.  So, Kate figured she could just take care of things for you.”  Maggie grinned.

“With National City?”

Stopping by the stairs, Kate responded to Kara, “No, with Lena.  You get back to swooping around town, and I’ll move in here.”

“What?!” Kara’s eyebrows shot up.

“Uh…” Lena lifted one finger.

“That’s an awful idea,” Kara said.  “What will people think?”

“After tonight, they’ll probably think we’re dating,” Kate replied.  “I’m sure it will be all over the tabloids.  Every media outlet, except for yourself of course, will be running with this story, don’t you think?”

“Well, then Catco will be the only one accurately reporting the news as usual,” Kara replied, crossing her arms.

Patting Kara’s shoulder, Lena smiled.

“True or not, it’s going to be useful to my cover.  Lena and I will have a whirlwind romance until this Janković guy gets caught.  That should be in the next week or two...maybe a month.  Who knows.  Sometimes these things can drag on.  Hey, good to be independently wealthy and single, right Luthor?”

“You...I…” Spinning, Kara said, “Alex?”

“Well, someone has to be here, Kara.  I’ve got to get back to the DEO.  Plus, I’ve already got a girlfriend.”  She gave Maggie a one-armed hug.

“Right, plus I’m pretty sure she’s not your type, babe.”

Smiling as she looked at Lena appraisingly, Alex then looked around the penthouse and grinned.  “No, I’m pretty sure she’s my type.”

Clearing her throat, Maggie said, “It doesn’t matter.  You’ve got a job and a girlfriend.  It has to be Kate, right, Kara?”

“Do I get a say in this?” Lena asked.

“Well, I can do it,” Kara offered.

“Do what?” Lena asked.

“Date you.”  When Lena just blinked several times, Kara hastily added, “I don’t mean date you date you.  I mean...date you.”

“I know what you meant.  You just...surprised me.”

“In a bad way?” Kara asked.

“In a surprising way, thus I was surprised.”

“Oh.”  Kara adjusted her glasses again.  “You said you trusted me to protect you.”

“I do.”

“So?”

“So.”  Lena cleared her throat.  “What about National City?  Kara, my life can’t come before other people in the city.”

“It does to me,” Kara said without hesitation.

Gently, Lena replied, “Kara.”

“Well, if Kara here has Lena, I could hang around and help out in the city.  It should be a nice change of pace from Gotham.”

“You could do that?” Kara asked Kate.

“Sure, why not,” Kate replied with a shrug.  “That’s if you don’t mind entrusting your city to a vigilante.”

“Your reputation precedes you,” Kara said as she walked up to Kate.  Then, sticking out her hand and smiling she added, “That would be great.”

“Hotshot,” Kate said shaking hands.

“Ahem.  Point of order.  I do get a say in this you know.  I’m perfectly capable of arranging my own protection.”

“We talked about this, Miss Luthor,” Alex reminded her.  “You bring in a regular security detail, and Janković will just go underground.  You’ll be living with security for the rest of your life.  Is that what you want?”

“Well no but—”

“Kara here is the perfect choice,” Alex continued.  “She has super hearing, can literally see through walls, is bulletproof, and you two already spend so much time together it’s        surprising people don’t already assume you’re dating.”

“No we don’t,” Kara and Lena said at the same time.

“They don’t finish each other’s sentences either,” Maggie commented.

“Miss Luthor, it’s your life, in this case it is literally your life, but my sister is offering to protect it.  She’s done it before.  Kate will protect the citizens of National City so Kara can protect you.  It’s your call.”

“Well…” Looking over at Kara, Lena asked, “You really want to do this?”

“I want to keep you safe,” Kara replied as she walked back to her friend.  “Plus, Alex is right.  We do spend a ton of time together.  Basically, nothing will change between us.  We’ll go to work together, eat together, hang out together, and I’ll keep anyone from killing you.  Really, what’s different than what we’ve been doing so far?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Lena nodded.

Looking at each other, Maggie and Alex barely kept their smiles to a minimum.


	9. Bunk Beds

“Kara, please sign this?”

Looking up from her desk at Catco, Kara frowned slightly as Lena put a sheet of paper down.  Nodding, she grabbed a pen and obeyed, jotting down her name on the bottom line.  “There you go.”  As Lena walked away, Kara followed.  “What, ah, what did I just sign?”

“Your notice of consent on an HR document.  Thank you.”

“My...my what?”  With a little skip, Kara caught up to her boss. “Lena, did I do something wrong?  Am I in trouble?”

“Not that I’m aware, Miss Danvers,” Lena quipped, nodding as she passed an employee.  “Why, have you something to confess?”

“I...I...no.”  Kara paused in the hallway, letting her morning’s actions run through her mind before adjusting her glasses and following after Lena again.  “Okay, so if I didn’t do anything wrong, and I didn’t, so I’m not in trouble, why did I have to sign a form that you’re taking to HR?”

Stopping outside the office of the Director of HR, Lena held up the form to Kara and tapped across the top where the words, ‘Notice of Consensual Relationship Agreement’ were written.

Kara’s mouth formed a little circle before she managed to say, “Oh.  That’s because we’re…”

“Yes.”  Lena knocked on the door.

“Come in.”  

As Lena entered, Kara awkwardly trailing behind, Miss Dana Jackson rose and smiled.  She was a fifty something year-old African-American woman who’d been HR Director of Catco for over a dozen years.  She was kind and fair but lacking in work friends.  There was just something about officially being in charge of the HR policies of a company like this that made everyone friendly but no one your friend.

“Ah, Miss Luthor and Miss Danvers, how lovely to see you both,” Miss Jackson said.  “What can the HR Department do for you today?”

“We came to drop this off,” Lena said handing over the paper.

Taking it, Miss Jackson briefly examined the form.  “I’m glad you brought this over to me.  There’s been some mutterings since you brought Catco, Miss Luthor.  Nothing overt, of course, but people do talk.  Having this officially on file makes my job a whole lot easier.”

“Mutterings?” Kara asked, her mouth open as she gasped slightly.

“Oh, good Lord,” Lena murmured.  “Is there anything else you need from us, Miss Jackson?”

“That’s the only form that the company requires you to fill out.  I did notice you checked off _domestic partner_ under relationship.”

“You did?” Kara asked.

“Yes, **we** did,” Lena stressed.  “We are living together, Kara.  After all, how long have we been dating now?”

“Um...golly, a year I guess,” Kara replied.

“Golly.”  Lena laughed.  “You’re adorable.  Miss Jackson, isn’t she adorable?”

“Everyone says so,” Miss Jackson agreed.  “Anyway, do either of you need new beneficiary forms?”

“New what now?” Kara asked.

Lena extended her hand.  “I’ll take one.  Kara will be keeping her sister Alex as her beneficiary...at least for the time being.  I don’t want her to think I’m after her for her money.”

Miss Jackson laughed.  “Good one, Miss Luthor.”

As Miss Jackson turned to her filing cabinets and put away one form on her way to find another, Kara whispered, “A new beneficiary form?  What are you doing?”

“Keep me alive and this will be inconsequential,” Lena whispered back.

“Here you are, Miss Luthor,” Miss Jackson said as she held out the beneficiary form.  “Do you want to fill this out now or—?”

“No, I’m going to have to do a lot of legal updates, and my lawyers will want to look over everything and make copies of it all.  You know...lawyers.”  Lena laughed and Miss Jackson laughed along.  “I’ll get this back to you.”

“No rush on our end.  Just don’t go dying, all right?”

Pointing with a stilted smile on her face, Lena said, “I’ll do my best.  Have a good day, Miss Jackson.”

“You too, Miss Luthor, Miss Danvers.”

“Bye, Miss Jackson,” Kara said a bit subdued as she and Lena left and made their way down the hallway. “Oh, Rao...Don’t you go dying?  That seemed a bit...off color, don’t you think?”

“I think we’re just a little sensitive on the subject right now, what with the assassin and all.”

“Lena.”  Taking Lena’s hand, Kara stopped the other woman.  “Pretty much every other week someone’s trying to kill you.”

“Well, that’s true,” Lena admitted as they began to walk again, their fingers still laced together.  “Perhaps we should discourage those kinds of jokes in regards to me.  They hit a bit close to home.”

“Maybe you should make a few less jokes about your family and the evil and stuff?”

Lena laughed.  “Oh, that’s not changing.  People can’t laugh at me if they’re laughing with me.”

“Is that why you do it?”

“Age old negotiating technique.”  Lena winked. “Take notes, Kara.  If this latest assassin is better than Supergirl, all of this will be yours one day.”

“Not funny, Lena.”

Lena shrugged.  “It was a little bit funny.”

“Not even a little bit.”

“Maybe you don’t get Earth humor.”

“Lena, that’s not…” As two people came down the hall, Kara had to pull Lena in closer to her as their hands were still linked.  As the others passed with lingering glances and quiet whispers, Kara said, “Not funny, Lena.”

“A tiny bit?”

“No.”  Kara glared.

Tilting her head to the side, Lena studied Kara and asked, “Are you hungry?”

Kara tried to hold her jaw firmly in place, but finally admitted, “Yes.”

“Good.  I ordered you lunch.”

“You did?” Kara asked, a look of wonder and joy spreading across her face.

“Of course.  We can eat in my office that Mr. Olsen was so nice to vacate when he took up residence down the hall.  That way we’ll be on display.  That should get people talking, don’t you think?”

“Uh…”  Kara managed a nod and then reached to adjust her glasses, but had to do it with one hand as the other was still occupied.  

“Are you all right?”

“That depends.  What’s for lunch?”

With a sharp and sudden laugh, Lena began to walk again as she pulled a willing Kara along after her.  “Come along, darling.  Your food awaits.”

Lunch consisted of a selection of Chinese food from one of the local places that Kara favored.  There were several things for the reporter: egg rolls, fried shrimp, boneless spare ribs, beef teriyaki, chicken wings, chicken fingers, and of course, pot stickers.  For Lena there was a serving of sautéed pea pods.

Looking at two large containers that made up most of her food, Kara asked, “It’s like a variety.  What is this?”

“A PuPu Platter,” Lena replied.  “It doesn’t sound appetizing, even for an appetizer, but it has several of your favorite things in it and serves two, so I got you two of them along with the potstickers which I assumed were a Kara Danvers staple.  Is that all right?”

With a happy sigh, Kara replied, “I’m so glad we’re dating.  Why didn’t we start this last year?”

Lena chuckled as she opened her food.  “Apparently, we did.  Anything else you want?”

Kara shook her head as she smiled around a bite of egg roll.  “This is...mmmm...amazing, Lena.  What’s for dinner?”

“What would you like?”

With wide eyes, Kara shook her head.  “Kidding, I was kidding.”

“Well, I’m not.  You’re stuck with me until we solve this assassin issue.  I need to work.  You need to eat quite a bit to stay at peak performance, and I need you there for my safety.  In true Luthor fashion, keeping you fed and happy is a selfish action on my part.  So, what kind of selfish would you like me to be tonight?”

“Um...pizza selfish?”

“Pizza selfish it is.  Usually I work late at the office, but I think I’ll start working from home after hours.  It will be safer for me, and it will make your life a bit less dreary.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Kara assured.

“Kara, at least at my home you can have the run of the place.  There are books, movies, the pools, the hot tub, the pool table, the library, the gym, and if you need anything else brought in to entertain you, just say the word.  Hmmm...Do you use a gym?”

“I don’t use a gym.”

Shaking her head, Lena ate a bit of her food and mumbled, “Bitch.”

Eyebrows shooting up, Kara replied, “You know I can hear everything you say no matter how quiet you are, right?”

“Good, then I won’t whisper next time I call you a bitch,” Lena replied.  Opening a bottle of water and ignoring Kara’s look of outrage she said, “So, this is actually a working lunch.”

“Oh?  Should I grab my notebook?”

“Not that kind of work, Kara.  I thought we should talk about our relationship.”

“Oh.  Because you’re still upset with me?  Okay.”

“Well, yes, but that’s not what I mean.  I can’t even think about all of that right now.  I don’t know how or when we’ll get back to the way we were.  Right now I just want to live through this latest attempt on my life.”  A curious look crossed Lena’s face.  “Do we even know who hired this man to kill me?”

“Uh...I do not, but I can ask my sister.  She’s heading up the investigation.  I’m sure the...DEO...It’s still weird saying that in front of you, sorry.  I’m sure the DEO is trying to track that down.”

“L-Corp could help.”

“I’ll let Alex know.”

“Thank you.”  Clearing her throat, Lena took another sip of water.  “Now, when I said working lunch and our relationship, I meant this little ruse we’re putting on.  Soon enough word will be out, and people will start asking questions.  We’ve got to be consistent in our answers.”

Kara nodded.

“You and I know a lot about each other, or at least you know a lot about me and I know a lot about your secret identity, but we know nothing about this romantic relationship we’re supposedly having.  We need to get down to brass tacks here.”

“Brass tacks, yes.”  Kara nodded.  “What does that mean?”

“It’s idiomatic speech.”

“Ah.  I’m not good at that.  That’s like a language within a language.  We had idioms on Krypton too.  Every language seems to have them, but they’re confusing for non-native speakers.  What does this one mean?”

“It means we get down to the basics, focus on the essentials,” Lena explained.

“Ah.  What’s the origin of this phrase?”

After several blinks, Lena admitted, “I have no idea.”  Picking up her phone, she typed something into it.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m putting a reminder into my calendar so I’ll do some research on the phrase’s origin this weekend.”

Pointing through the glass wall, Kara said, “Miss Grant would have just called Eve in here and made her hunt it down.”

“Well, I’m not Miss Grant.”

“But you’re a busy woman, the CEO of Catco just like Miss Grant, and you’re also the CEO of L-Corp.  Miss Grant had assistants because she was so busy.  It wasn’t that she wasn’t capable.  She’s one of the most capable women I’ve ever met.  Her energy was just better spent elsewhere.  Don’t you think yours is?”

Studying Kara, Lena replied, “You and I have never really discussed her, have we?”

“No.  Why?”

“Interesting, that’s all.  Kara, there will always be better ways I can spend my energy, but there are also always things that interest me.  Research interests me.  When I do research, I find other things along the way, and that knowledge is usually more valuable than whatever it is I was looking for in the first place.  Don’t be so focused on the goal that you ignore the journey.”

“Is that a Luthor saying?”

“Oh, God no.”  Lena laughed.  “Luthors care about the goal, and everyone and everything else be damned.  There was a time that all I wanted to be was a Luthor, and then there was a time that was the last thing I wanted to be.  Like so many things in life, I suppose the truth is somewhere in the middle.”

Swallowing a boneless spare rib, Kara said, “You’re a wise woman, Lena Luthor.”

“Sometimes.  Sometimes I can’t see what’s right in front of my face.”  There was an awkward moment, and then Lena said, “But we’re off track again.”

“Sorry.  I’ll stop distracting you.  Tell me about our brass tacks.”

“Thank you.  So, who asked whom out?”

“Um...you mean...us?  Oh...Well, I uh...huh...I mean I...I would have...ummm…”

“Right then.  I asked you out.  Next question.”

“What?  Maybe I asked you out.”

“Kara.”  Lena shook her head.  “You couldn’t even answer the question let alone ask me out.  Do you want to discuss the first kiss?”

Gaze moving to Lena’s lips, Kara looked away and quickly began to eat more.

“Are you all right?”

Nodding rapidly, Kara said, “Um-hmmm.  Hungry.”

“O-kay.  Moving on.  Let’s just have the first date be one of the dinners we already had together.  How about—?”

“Valentinos?”

“Valentinos,” Lena replied with a nod and a smile.  “We love that place.”

“The cheesecake is great.  We get two slices, and I eat mine and most of yours.  We get the rest of the cake to go for...oh.”

“You don’t eat it over the rest of the week, do you?”

Smiling sheepishly, Kara replied, “I eat it when I get home.  It’s so good.  How can you leave cheesecake in your refrigerator when it’s sooooo good?”

With a little eye roll, Lena said, “Our first date was definitely Valentinos.  You had the lasagna and…you ate that other serving of lasagna when you got home, didn’t you?”

“How can you keep lasagna in your refrigerator?  Food is like the best thing to eat ever.”

“Second best in my opinion,” Lena mumbled.

Brows furrowed, Kara asked, “What’s better to eat than food?”

Raising one eyebrow, Lena stared.

“What?”

Lena stared.

“What?”

Lena stared.

“What!?”

“I hope you and your lasagna are very happy together,” Lena replied as she took another bite of her food.

After several blinks, Kara asked, “What about the cheesecake?”

“So long as it’s between you and two mature and consenting...whatevers, knock yourselves out.  So, should we say we’ve been dating this whole time and just keeping it under wraps, but we needed to be open about it now that I’m your boss, or should we say it’s new?”

Eating an egg roll, Kara nodded.  “Saying we’ve been together for a year is consistent with what we told HR.  Let’s keep it consistent.  Plus it looks much better with me moving in with you.  What about other people like my sister?  Did she know before now?”

“That’s a good question.”  Lena shrugged.

“Consistent,” Kara repeated.  “Since we’re only now _telling_ people, let’s say we just told her.  That way Alex and our friends don’t need to know anything about our dating history.”

“They’re our friends?”

“They are now,” Kara replied.  “You’re going to love game night.”

“What’s game night?”

“You’ll love it.”

“You said that already.”  When Kara nodded and shoved food in her mouth, Lena said, “Moving on again.  Parents.  We can just say I haven’t met your mother since I haven’t.  That seems simple enough.  Of course my mother…” Sitting upright suddenly, Lena nearly knocked over her water as she stiffened.  “Dear God, my mother!”

Kara jumped to her feet, food still in her hands, spinning to and fro.  “What!?  Where!?”

With a low, throaty chuckle, Lena relaxed in her seat.  “Oh, my mother.  Well, this is worth an assassination attempt.  You know, I had no intention of Catco taking any part in spreading this gossip, but how quickly do you think we can get this to print?  I want to make sure my mother sees it.”

Slowly lowering back into her seat, Kara asked, “You’re serious?”

“Like a heart attack...which I hope she has when she reads the article.  Do you think it will sell well?  I’ve never understood why, but articles about with whom I’m having sex have always seemed to be interesting to people.  Can you imagine?  If you’re not sleeping with me or someone with whom I’m sleeping, I honestly could not care less.  Anyway…”  Studying Kara’s concerned expression, Lena asked, “Are you all right?”

“We’re having sex?”

“Um...we’re not?  I apologize.  We’ve been dating for a year, Kara, and you’re moving in with me.  How long do you usually wait?”

Blinking several times, Kara repeated, “We’re having sex?”

“Well, we don’t have to.  We can just tell people it’s none of their business, say no comment.  I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or just assume that—”

“No, I want to!”  Kara said speaking over Lena.

“Kara, honestly we can just—”

“No, I want to...I...sex...you…”

Head leaning to the side, Lena asked, “You sex me?”

“Oh Rao,” Kara mumbled sliding down a bit in her chair.  She took a few moments to compose herself and then pushed upright again.  “I just mean...I want to do this.  You know, with the sex and all.  For consistency’s sake, for appearances, yes, we’re having sex.”

“You’re sure because I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.  I know some of your friends will know the truth because they know who you are, but I assume there must be other people with whom you’re friendly who don’t know your secret.  There are others, aren’t there?”

Leaning forward and rapidly nodding, Kara replied, “The only one here at work who knows the truth is James, well, and you now.  It’s an exclusive club.  Welcome to it.”  Kara smiled a bit.

“Well...thank you.”  After a half-hearted eye roll, Lena smiled a bit in return.  “Be warned that people may intimate things about us and ask you things of a rather personal nature.  The press definitely will.  Catco reporters will be different, and I’m used to handling paparazzi, but this will be different for you.  Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“I’ve been dealing with reporters for the last two years.  It hasn’t been as long as you have, but I know how to deal with them.  I know most of them as Kara, but as Supergirl, I’ve had to shut more than a few of them down.  I can handle myself.”

“All right.”  Raising her water bottle for a toast, Lena said, “To us and our fake year long relationship that started last night.  Let’s hope I don’t die.”

“Hold on,” Kara replied, hastily unscrewing her water bottle and raising it for the toast.  “To keeping you alive, our relationship both the fake dating and the real friendship.”

Lena hesitated for a moment but then tapped her water bottle with Kara’s and they both drank.  Leaning back in her chair a bit, a sly smile came to Lena’s face and she said, “So, Miss Danvers, I do have another question for you since we’re getting to know each other more intimately here.”

“Okay,” Kara replied slowly as she bit into an egg roll and chewed, watching clear amusement play along Lena’s lips.

Her smile growing slightly, one eyebrow rose as Lena asked, “Top or bottom?”

Blinking, head tilting to the left, Kara furrowed her brows.  “Bunk beds?”

 

<><> 

 

Alex and Maggie walked into Lena’s apartment, a grocery bag in Maggie’s hand.

“Hey, Kara, how was work?”

“We brought ice cream, Little Danvers.”

Turning away from the TV on which she hadn’t really been focusing, Kara met her sister’s gaze as Alex moved to sit near her on the couch and said, “Lena and I are having sex.”

Halfway to sitting on the couch, Alex stiffened and jerked like she’d been shocked.  She spun toward her sister, sliding off the edge of the couch and landing on the floor.

“What was that!?” Maggie asked as she rushed back from her way into the kitchen.

Alex scrambled back onto the couch.  “What did you just say?”

“Lena and I...sex,” Kara said the last word slowly while she nodded.

“Kara you...when?” Alex asked.

“Well, today in her office at lunch time—”

Alex shot to her feet.  “This happened at work!?”

“And are they hiring?” Maggie added with a grin.

“Maggie.”  Alex shook her head, frowning.

“Don’t glare at me, Danvers.  All I get is a 401k and a pension plan that is going to crap.  I like her work benefits a lot better.  Do you folks need a crime reporter, Little Danvers?  I don’t take **dic** tation, but I do—”

“Maggie!”  Sighing, Alex sat down and squeezed her sister’s forearm.  “Kara, it’s okay.  Are you okay?”

“I keep thinking about it.”

“Well, sure.”  Alex smiled.  “There’s nothing wrong with that.  I mean...Are you upset?  You seem upset.”

“I’m...Since Lena told me about the sex, I’ve been kind of distracted I guess.  I didn’t get a lot of work done for the rest of the day.  I feel like I shouldn’t keep thinking about it.  Why do I keep thinking about it?”

“Lena told you about it?”  Alex asked.

Kara nodded.

Alex glanced at Maggie who only shrugged behind Kara.  Running a hand through her hair, Alex said, “Kara, I...Okay, how about this.  No one can tell you when you’ve had sex.  Each person gets to define that for themselves.  Just because you have feelings for someone or do...things with them doesn’t mean it’s sex.  You have sex when you think you’ve had sex.  Even if the person you’re with thinks they’ve had sex, well, that’s up to them to decide, but they don’t decide that for you.  Each person decides for themselves.  Do you understand?”

Kara nodded.  “That’s kind of what Lena said.  She said I didn’t have to do it.  She said she didn’t want to make me uncomfortable.  She didn’t want me to do anything I didn’t want to do.  Her life is kind of under a microscope, and she knows there will be a lot of reporters snooping around me now.  I’m okay with that though.  That’s why I wanted to do it, for consistency.”

Head turning slightly so she looked at her sister more out of the side of her eye, Alex asked, “For consistency?”

“Yeah, we’re trying to be consistent.  I think it’s important.  Don’t you?”

“I...I’m not sure that’s why you have sex with someone,” Alex replied.  “You love each other though, right?”

“She’s my best friend,” Kara said making eye contact and looking a bit more focused.  “The consistency is important though, Alex.  We spoke to HR about it today, so we don’t want other people to—”

“Wait, wait, Kara.  You and Lena went to HR on this?”

“Well, we had to.  There are rules about employee relationships if someone is your superior, and Lena is my boss.  I had to sign a form and everything.”

“Kara, hold up,” Maggie said.  “When Lena and I went out drinking, she said she didn’t have her own office.  James was moving out of his into another one so she could officially get the CEO office instead of doing some dumb roaming CEO thing she’d been doing.  Now remind me again, which is James’ office?”

Kara was twisted around on the couch so she could see the other woman.  “It’s the big glass office with the balcony.  It’s directly across from the elevators when you first come up.  You can’t miss it.”

Maggie looked over at Alex whose concern was obviously growing.  “Okay, so maybe I’m just not understanding what happened here.  When you say that you and Lena had...lunch today, and you say it happened in her office, you mean that office, at lunchtime, during work hours, when other people were around and could see you?”

“Well, of course.  That was the point.”

“That was the point!?” Alex exclaimed.

With a mixture of surprise and confusion, Kara looked at her sister again.  “Well, we want everyone to know, don’t we, Alex?  If you were in my place and doing this with Lena, wouldn’t you want to get the word out as quickly as possible?”

“I...I...Maggie?”

“Uh...I’ve got to put away the ice cream before it melts,” Maggie said as she exited the room.

“But...traitor.”  Face deep in thought, Alex spent several moments searching for her next words.  Finally she settled on, “Kara, you do love Lena, don’t you?  I’ve heard you say it casually, but you love her, right?”

Kara seemed to consider, but then she smiled, “Yeah, I do.”

“And this thing you’re doing with Lena, it’s because you love her, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, good,” Alex said sighing with relief.  “Lena feels the same way?  She’s doing this because she loves you too?”

“Well, she says she loves me.  She’s told me that.  We’re going through a rough patch, but I’ve got to believe we’re going to make it through it.  If you mean the sex, though, she wanted to have sex because, you know…”  Kara shrugged.  “Her mom.”

Eyebrows shooting up, Alex repeated, “Her mom?”

“She wants her mom to know.  Lena wants Catco to publish an article about us.  Can you imagine Lillian’s reaction?”

“Uh…”  Mouth agape, Alex finally said, “Lillian is going to kill you.”

“I think that’s pretty much always a possibility.  She’s not exactly my biggest fan.  Lillian Luthor wanting to kill Kara Danvers.”  Kara smiled.  “Sounds like a day that ends in a Y in National City to me.”

“I...guess,” Alex admitted.  “I hadn’t really considered how this would affect things when Lillian found out.  Maybe this is a bad idea.  Maybe we should just call this whole thing off.”

“Alex no.  I want to do this.  I want this.”

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely,” Kara assured.  “I just have one question.”

“Anything, Kar.  What is it?”

“So when Lena said top or bottom—?”

“Maggie!”  Alex was on her feet.  “Maggie!  Ice cream, now stat!”

“What’s going on?” Maggie asked as she peeked around the entryway to the kitchen.  “Did it get worse?  How did it get worse?”

“Oh, it got worse.  We need three pints of ice cream, three spoons, and a bottle of alcohol.  Glasses are optional.”

Maggie nodded.  “What kind, the booze I mean.”

“Does not matter.  It does not fucking matter at this point.  I’ll drink rubbing alcohol if that’s all that’s available for this conversation, but this is Luthor’s house.  You find whatever looks the most expensive and is sealed, and crack that bottle open.”

“Babe, consider it done.”

“Are you all right?” Kara asked.

As Alex dropped down into her seat again, she replied, “I may never be all right again.”

“I thought I heard the dulcet tones of company,” Lena said as she reached the second floor and headed toward the spiral staircase.  “Are sure you haven’t moved in also, Agent Danvers?  You certainly are here a lot.  At this rate, the papers will have me dating both the Danvers sisters.”  Stopping with her hand on the rail, Lena grinned.  “Oh, my mother wouldn’t like that, would she?  What do you think, Agent Danvers?  I already know Kara’s views, but what are your thoughts on polyamory?”

“You,” Alex breathed the word out slowly as she stared at Lena.  Rising to her feet, she strode across the room and headed up the staircase.  “You and I need to speak in private right now!”

“Right now?”

“Right now!”

“Is there…” Lena looked around.  “Is there an imminent threat?”

Her laugh verging on the maniacal, Alex replied, “Oh, the threat’s imminent all right.”

“Alex!?”  Kara was on her feet and in the air, glasses in her hand as she looked around the apartment.

“Kara, stay here.  I’ve got this.”  Alex grabbed Lena’s arm and hurried the other woman down the hallway.

“But I should—”

“Cover the perimeter, Kara!” Alex commanded as she opened the first door she came to and stepped inside with Lena in tow, closing and locking the door behind them as she flipped on the light.

The room was a library, shelves of books covered the walls and dark-wooden leather furniture filled the area.  There was a desk to one side, an oversized piece that seemed to have history to it.  A fireplace apparently stemmed up from the living room and sat unlit in one section.  Unlike the rest of the house, thick curtains blocked out the light in here.

Alex barely took any note of this before she turned on Lena, never letting go of the death grip she had on the woman’s arm.  “We need to talk.”

“Of course.  Is he in the house?”

“Who?”

“Janković, the assassin,” Lena clarified.

Alex shook her head slightly, more to clear it than as a response.  “No.  It’s not that kind of a...No.  You’re okay right now.”

Lena sighed.  “Thank you.  So, what’s the status?”

“Top or bottom?”

“Hmmm?”

“Kara just told me about your little top or bottom question.  What the hell are you thinking, Luthor?  Kara isn’t like you, you know.  She’s innocent.”

“Wait, so this is about what happened at Catco today?”

“You bet your sweet ass it is.”

“Let go of me,” Lena said yanking her arm back.  “Relax, Agent Danvers.  I was just having some fun with your sister today.  There was no harm to it.”

“Fun?  You call that fun?”

Lena shrugged.  “Well, I had fun.”

“Oh, my God!”  Running her hand through her hair, Alex walked away before making a wide circle and coming back.  “Is everyone in your family insane?”

“There is that possibility?”  Lena grinned.  “Oh, come now, Agent Danvers.  I was just fooling around with your sister today.”

“Fooling around?  I don’t even know how to respond to that.  Did you even think about Kara’s feelings?”

“Kara’s feelings?  Please.  After what she put me through, this is the least she can do for me.”

“Do for you?”  Alex rubbed her face with both hands muttering, “Turn off your visuals.”  With a cleansing breath, Alex dropped her hands and said, “Luthor, she told me about the sex.  She didn’t owe you that.”

Lena held up a hand.  “I agree.  I told her she didn’t have to.”

“In your office?”

“Yes.”

“In front of...everyone?” Alex squeaked out.

“Well, my office is in front of…”  Crossing her arms, Lena studied Alex.  “Are we talking about the same thing?”

“I think so.”

“I’m not quite certain.”  Lena’s finger bobbed up and down slightly as she pointed at Alex.  “Tell me what you think we’re talking about.”

“Fine.”  Hands on her hips, Alex took a deep breath as she squared up her shoulders and thrust out her jaw.  “Today in your office…”

“Yes?”

“You and my sister…”

“Yes?”

“At lunchtime…”

“Go on.”

“In front of everyone…”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Agent Danvers.  Rip off the bandaid already.  How bad could it be?”

Taking one last breath in through her nose, Alex said, “Had sex.”

Three beats passed.  “We did what now?”

“You and Kara had...sex?  Did you and Kara have sex?”

Slowly, eyes wide, Lena shook her head.

“Move,” Alex said, her anger suddenly refocused as she pulled Lena to the side, unlocked and yanked open the door.  “Kara!”

“Where is he!?” Kara replied as she floated directly in front of the other women, her eyes glowing yellow.

“Kara, what happened in Lena’s office today?”

“Uh…” Slowly lowering herself to the floor, Kara looked around again.  “Janković?”

“Is not here,” Alex replied immediately.  “The only one in any danger is you from me if you don’t explain yourself.  What did you and Lena do in her office today.”

“Uh...a few things.  We discussed a piece I wanted to do on aliens in the workforce.  I fixed a desk drawer of hers that was sticking because one of the screws was sticking out just a smidge.  Super nails make super good screwdrivers,” Kara added holding up one finger and then examining her hand.  “I need to cut these, Alex.  Do you think you can bring me the special DEO cutters that we use for—”

“Did you and Lena have sex in her office at lunchtime, yes or no!?”

“What?  Ewww.  I mean, not Lena ewww because you’re very lovely, Lena, but your office is made of glass.  There are all of those people and people watching and the middle of the day and...Alex...ewww, no.  Why would you ask me that?”

“Because that’s what you told me!”

Kara gasped.  “No I didn’t!  Lena, I didn’t tell her that.  I...I...Alex, why would you say that?”

“Kara…” One finger in her sister’s face, Alex gritted her teeth as she leaned in close.  “What did you say to me when I first got here tonight?”

After a moment of thought, Kara’s mouth hung open.  “Ooooohhhhh!  Yeah, I can see how you could take that out of context.”

“What out of context!?”  Alex walked away from her sister again.  “When I got here you said you and Lena had sex!”

“No.  No, I said Lena and I are having sex.  I meant it in the context of our fake relationship.”  Kara nodded over at Lena.  “We discussed it at lunch today.  I hadn’t really considered that aspect of what we were doing before, how intimate this all was.  It just surprised me, and I suppose my thoughts have been ruminating on it since.  This whole thing is getting really real, you know?”

Looking at Lena, Alex asked, “So, what exactly did you two do at lunch today?”

“We talked and ate some food,” Lena replied slowly, unease still on her face.  Then, while she watched Alex, something changed and a certain cockiness settled over Lena as she smiled.  “Tell me, Agent Danvers, what do you usually do at a working lunch, and is your organization hiring...or for sale?  I’m easy.”

“Move!” Alex said as her cheeks colored pink and she pushed past her sister to storm down the hallway.  “Maggie!”

“Yeah, babe!”

“Is that bottle open yet!?”

“Yeah, babe!”

“Thank God!”

“What just happened?” Kara asked.

“Come on,” Lena replied holding her hand out until Kara took it.  “Let’s go downstairs and spend time with your sister and Maggie.  We can all watch a movie together.”

“You’re done with work?”

“Why not.  I think it would be good for me to get to know your sister and her fiancée better since we’re supposed to be dating, don’t you?”

“I guess.  Alex seemed upset, though.  I’m not sure she wants to spend time with me right now.”

“Well, too bad for her this is my house and you live here.  If she doesn’t like it, Alex can leave,” Lena said stepping into the hallway and gently pulling Kara along.  “Anyway, I want to sit on the loveseat and curl up and watch a movie with you.  How does that sound?”

Tripping on air, Kara managed to recover but faltered slightly.  “You want to snuggle?”

One eyebrow raised, Lena replied, “Well, I do now.  Come on.”

Kara swallowed hard.  “Oh, Rao.”


	10. Vittles and Veracity

Kara and Lena walked into Catco three days after their visit to HR.  For the last three days, things had remained relatively normal.  They’d worked together and driven home in the same car.  The only oddity was Lena keeping more normal business hours, though she was working from home before going into and coming home from work.  However, the Catco personal weren’t overly familiar with her comings and goings.  So, when Lena started keeping to the hours of everyone else, perhaps it looked like she was just getting the hang of the new job.  When she and Kara sat together and ate lunch in the office every day, no heads seemed to turn.  On day three, things seemed to have changed.

The elevator opened, and Kara and Lena stepped out.  Miss Teschmacher made haste across the office, black coffee in hand for Lena as was normal.  It was the rest of the office that was odd.  People were grouped up and chatting, but as soon as Eve’s voice rang out with Lena’s name, a smile on the secretary’s face as she cut across the office, everyone else suddenly had someplace better to be.  Lena cast her gaze across the scurrying masses, and even Kara frowned at the odd behavior.

“Here you are, Miss Luthor,” Eve said as she handed Lena the coffee and fell into step alongside the CEO.  “Mr. Drummond called to confirm your 10:30.  That reporter from The Tribune called again trying to set up a job interview directly with you.”

“Oh, that man is arrogant.”

“I gave him the address for HR and told him to mail a resume there, then had his number blocked.  I also sent his picture down to security.”

“Eve, you’re a gem,” Lena said with a smile, sipping her coffee.

“Thank you, Miss Luthor,” Eve replied beaming under the praise.  “You have a teleconference call with the L-Corp board of directors at 2:00.  We’ve reserved the meeting room for that.  Can I do anything else for you right now?”

“That file I asked you for on Morgan Edge.  Do you—?”

“On your desk, Miss Luthor.”

“Eve.”  Lena smiled.  “How would I run this place without you?”

“Ah...you’ll never have to find out?  Anything else?”

“That’s it for now.  I need to check emails.  Thank you, Eve.”

“You’re welcome, Miss Luthor.  Do you need anything, Miss Danvers?  Can I get you a coffee?”

Kara smiled.  “No, I’m fine, thanks, Eve.  I’m just going to…”  Her smile vanishing, Kara asked, “What did you just call me?”

“That’s your name, Danvers, isn’t it?”

“Well, yes, but you always just call me Kara.”

“I know, but that was before…” Eve’s gaze drifted from Kara to Lena then back again.

“Ah.”  Lena smirked knowingly.  “Well, now we know what all the chatter is about today.”

“What’s going on?” Kara asked.

“Kara, join me in my office, please?  Shut the door behind you?”

“I’ll get it,” Eve offered, closing the door as Kara and Lena entered.

“Lena?”

The CEO nodded.  “Our relationship has hit the rumor mill here at work.  People are gossiping about us.”

“Oh.”  Slumping into a chair, Kara adjusted her glasses.  “They’re talking about us?”

“Are you all right?”

“Uh...sure.  I’m used to it.”

“Kara, you can be upset about this.  There’s a difference between people talking about you with admiration for saving lives and your coworkers gossiping about you for sleeping with the boss.”

Kara considered then smiled up at Lena.  “My hot boss.”

Lena laughed with surprise, leaning back against her desk as she rubbed the back of her neck.  “Why thank you, Miss Danvers...my hot employee.”

“Why, Miss Luthor, you charmer, you.  What would you say if I asked you to have lunch with me today?”

“Of course.  We do need to keep our cover-up.  Thai?  

“Right, our cover.”  Kara hesitated, biting at her lower lip. 

“Is something wrong, Kara?  Eve already has our order ready to place unless there is something you‘d rather have.”

“No, Thai sounds great.  Lena, I was thinking—”

At a knock on the door, they both looked up to see James standing just outside the office.  He gave them a wave as he stood with a file in hand.

Lena waved him in.  “What do you need, Jimmy?”

“I have something to show you,” he said laying the file on the table and opening it.  

Inside were several photos.  The first few were dark, barely visible, but the last few were closer up, the lighting a bit better, and they showed a single figure.  It was a woman in a dark suit, not a dress suit but some sort of superhero get up.  She had a cape and a cowl with two points on top like long ears.  In the one photo where she moved under a streetlight and was caught mid-kick on some poor man, you could see her red gloves, boots, belt, and the red symbol of a bat across her chest.  Her long red hair was frozen spinning behind her as her foot connected with the face of the man she was attacking.

“Well, what do you think?” James asked.  “This last one is the best.  Think we can get it on the cover?”

Lena wiggled her jaw back and forth.  “Where did you get these?”

“I took them,” James replied with just a touch of hesitancy, his gaze shifting over to Kara momentarily.

“When?”  Lena asked.

“Last night.”

She looked up sharply.  “So, in National City?”

“Yeah.  It’s Batgirl.”

“Bat...woman,” Kara corrected.

“Oh...cool.  Thanks, Kara.  We should run with this,” James said.  “Kara, get down to the police station and see if you can get a statement.  Bring doughnuts.  Oh, and don’t eat them all this time.”

“But they’re doughnuts, James.”

“Facts then food, Kara, facts then food,” James reminded, his hand chopping up and down slightly with each word.  “I’ll call down to editing and get them to hold the front page for us and a half-page spread on page five.  Then I’ll—”

“Did I wake you?” Lena said into her phone, getting James’ attention.

 _“What time is it?”_ Came a sleepy response.

“Morning.  I take it you had a late night out.”

_“Hmmm.  Call back after noon, Lena...like 5:00 o’clock.”_

“I need an interview.”

_“...what?”_

“I have pictures, and I need an interview.  When can you be decent?”

“Who is she talking to?” James whispered to Kara.

Kara shrugged.

With a chuckle, the caller said, _“Well, that’s a loaded question.  You can come over now if you want, but I’ll be better able to perform after a bit more sleep.”_

“Not me, Kara Danvers.  I’ll send her over to speak to you.”  Lena nodded at Kara.

_“What?  No, I’ll talk to you.”_

“I’m not a reporter,” Lena replied.  “I can let you control how this story goes out, but you need to go through one of my reporters.  Kara is the best choice for obvious reasons.  She’s going to the police station first, but she’ll be by your hotel afterward.  Text me the name and room number.”

_“Counter offer.”_

Lena lifted a brow.  “I’m listening.”

_“You have dinner with me tonight, go out with me, and I’ll do the interview with your reporter.”_

“I…” Her brows furrowing for a moment as she glanced at Kara, Lena replied, “I can’t do that.”

_“Why not?”_

“I’m seeing someone.”

_“No, you’re not.  That’s fake.  Go on a date with me, and you get your interview.  Plus, you get to go on a date with me.  It’s a win-win...win situation.  So, seven o’clock?”_

“I can’t.  As far as people know I’m dating Kara.  I can’t be seen out in public on a date with another woman.  You know this.”

_“Okay, then my place.”_

“I can’t—”

_“Your place.  Final offer, one date at your place and you get your interview.”_

Lena looked up at Kara who was watching her.

_“Look, if you didn’t have fun with me the other night, if you don’t enjoy my company, you can just say so.  That’s fine, Lena, but I thought you and I had fun.  Is there someone else?  Is that the problem?”_

Still looking at Kara, Lena swallowed hard.  “No, no there’s no one else.”

_“So, that’s a yes?”_

“That’s a yes,” Lena agreed.

_“Great!  I’m looking forward to it.  I’ll text you my hotel and room.  Make sure your reporter shows up with a coffee, one cream, two sugars.  I’ll take care of dinner tonight.”_

“But it’s at my apartment,” Lena argued.  “I should take care of dinner.”

_“But I asked you out.  You can take care of dinner next time.”_

“Who said there’s going to be a next time?”

_“I’m pretty sure you just did.  Later, baby.”_

“I didn’t...hello?”  Lena looked at her phone seeing the line had disconnected.  “Well, that’s typical.”  Even as she watched, a hotel’s name and room number showed up in her texts.  Sighing she said, “Kara, after you’re done with the police, I want to you go to a hotel and do another interview.  I’ll send you the information on the meeting.  You need to bring a coffee with you, one cream two sugars.”

Kara nodded.  “Okay.  Is this what I think it is?”

“Yes.  I know you two aren’t on the best of terms, but try not to let that play into the interview.  With Jimmy’s photo, this will be a tremendous issue for us.  Any questions?”

“I’ve got one,” James said.  “Did you just call Batwoman?”

With a smirk, Lena replied, “Doesn’t feel good to be out of the loop, does it Jimmy.”

“Did you just agree to go on a date with Batwoman to get this interview?” James asked.

“No,” Kara said with a laugh.  “It’s not an actual date date.  Lena wouldn’t go on an actual date with her.  Tell him, Lena.”

“This is a much more appealing option than the obnoxious child of some obnoxious CEO.  Though she comes on a bit strong, this one is actually quite charming.  I’m sure we’ll have fun,” Lena said.  “Anyway, the story comes first, right?”

“What?  No.  Lena, call her back and say no,” Kara demanded.

“Kara it’s fine.  I’m fine with it, really.”

“Well, I’m not,” Kara replied.

Palms flat on her desk, Lena stared at Kara.  “Unfortunately for you, it’s not your decision.  I have a date.  She’ll be over tonight at 7:00 o’clock.”

“She’s supposed to be protecting the city for me.  Who’s going to do that?”

“You can,” Lena countered.  “Because tonight, she’ll be with me.”

“But--”

“Kara.”  Lena pointed out the door.  “Go do your job.  Head down to the police station.  Don’t forget the doughnuts.  Don’t forget the coffee.”

“Fine.”  Kara spun on her heel, glaring at James when he walked alongside her and whispering, “Thanks a lot, James.”

“What did I do?”

“You and your stupid phenomenal photographs.  Why do you have to be so good at your job?”

“I...I...sorry?” He said as he stopped and watched her stomp off.

Kara reached the elevator, pushing the button a bit too hard and cracking it, her finger poking through into wiring.  “Oh...crap.  Damn it.”  She spun and went back the way she came.  “Eve, call maintenance.  Someone broke the elevator...again.”  

As Kara entered Lena’s office, closing the door behind her and pulling out her cellphone, Lena said, “Did I not make myself clear?”

“I can’t leave until someone else shows up to protect you.  We still have a Serbian assassin after you, remember?”

“Oh, actually I’d almost forgotten for a moment there.  Things have been so quiet on that front for days.  Are you sure—?”

Kara held up her hand.  “Alex, I need you to come down to Catco and babysit my girlfriend.  I have to go and do some interviews.”

_“Can’t someone else do them?”_

“No, I’m going to Batwoman’s hotel.  It’s either me or Lena.”  Kara cast a sideways glance at Lena.  “Lena will be keeping her occupied tonight.”

_“What does that mean?”_

“Can you just get over here please, Alex?”

_“Uh, yeah.  I need another twenty minutes for this test to finish running and to make note of my results.  I’ll leave after that, okay?”_

“Thanks.  Love you.”

_“Love you too, Kara.”_

Dropping her phone back into her purse, Kara dropped onto Lena’s couch, crossed her arms, and stared at Lena.

“Are you planning just to sit there and glare at me?”

“Yup.”

“You could go back to your desk and do some work until your sister gets here.  You are on the clock, you know.”

“I’m working on my interview questions for Batwoman.  Right here...” Kara tapped on her temple for a moment before recrossing her arms.  “In.  My.  Mind,” she said slowly.

Breaking eye contact, Lena went back to typing on her laptop as she very quietly muttered, “Maybe you should try working on your passive-aggressive attitude.”

“And still, I can hear you.”

“And still, I don’t care,” Lena said in the same muttered tone.

 

<><> 

 

Kara answered the door when Kate showed up that night.  The redhead was wearing the same riding leathers she had worn the last time she was over.  On her back was a silver thermal bag.  In one hand was a bottle of wine, and in the other was a bouquet of flowers.

Smiling, Kara leaned against the half-opened door. “Flowers, for me?  You shouldn’t have.”

“Well now.”  Kate placed her shoulder against the doorframe, her smile growing.  “If you’re sticking around tonight, this evening just got a whole lot more interesting.”

“Ugh.”  Pulling open the door, Kara walked away.  “Lena, Kate’s here!”

Kicking the door closed behind her, Kate headed into the kitchen.  “I heard some rumblings about trouble over on 61st and Elm,” Kate said as she put the wine and flowers on the center island, sliding the backpack off her shoulders.  “I was going to head down there tonight.  You might want to check it out.”

“Thanks, I will.”  Kara watched while Kate unzipped the top of the thermal bag, unpacking several food containers from inside and then putting the empty bag on the floor.  “You didn’t bring anything to change into?”

“You don’t like what I’m wearing?”  Kate asked with a grin.

“Well, I haven’t seen what Lena’s wearing, but you’ll probably be a little underdressed.  She always looks really nice.”

“Don’t worry.  I plan to take this off as soon as you leave.”  Kate winked.

“Hey, now.”  Kara strode over to the vigilante, her anger rising.

“This is for you,” Kate said, picking up one of the food containers and holding it between them.

“Food?  You brought me food?”

“I made you food,” Kate clarified.  “Lena and I are having Italian, and I understand you have a weakness for potstickers, so I made you something along the same shape if not flavor.  It was the best I could do on short notice.  I hope you like it.”

“It’s food,” Kara said putting it down on the center island so she could grab a fork and return to sit on a stool as she pulled back the lid.  “I love food.”

“That’s a popularly held theory around these parts.  Give it a try.”

Inhaling deeply, Kara smiled as she took in the dishes’ scent.  They were triangular shaped pasta that were thick in the middle, filled with something.  There were several of them, over a dozen, and they were covered in a creamy white sauce.  There was a bit of a nutty scent to it.

“They kind of look like big raviolis.  What do you call this?”

“Pansotti alla genovese,” Kate replied.  “It’s pasta stuffed with wild herbs and cheese in a walnut sauce.  I couldn’t get the exact herbs and cheeses here.  The ingredients are hard to get even on the Italian Riviera borders, but the mix I have here is pretty damn close.  No nut allergies, right?”

“Only a Kryptonite allergy.”  Kara speared one with her fork, ready to put it in her mouth and then paused.  “Uh...you didn’t put any Kryptonite in these, did you?”

“Are you kidding?  If I poison you, I’m pretty sure it would ruin my date.  Who would patrol the city?”

“Oh, good point.”  Shrugging, Kara shoved the pasta into her mouth and chewed happily.  “Mmmm, so good.  You can cook.”

“One of my many talents.”  Kate smiled.  “Looking forward to getting out and stretching your legs for a bit?  You must be tired of being cooped up here every night.”

“Actually, it’s been nice,” Kara admitted around another bite of food.  “I just wish…”

“What?”

“Things are just weird with Lena.”

“Really?”  Forearms on the center island, Kate said, “Mags said you and Lena were getting on fine the other night.”

“Oh, that.”  Kara shook her head and swallowed before spearing another piece of pasta.  “I think Lena was just being…I don’t know.  There was a misunderstanding with my sister, and Lena was kind of poking at Alex afterward.  When Alex and Maggie left, things were different.”

“Oh.”  Kate turned her back to Kara, elbows on the island as her brows furrowed.  Her eyes shifted left, and she blinked rapidly.  When she spoke, her voice still sounded light and didn’t match the look of concentration on her face.  “Different how?”

“Different…” Kara held up a piece of pasta on her fork, examining it with a quiet intensity that the food didn’t deserve and then speaking before she shoved it into her mouth.  “Different uncomfortable.”

Kate grimaced, her mouth a tight line.  “Well, have you tried—?”

“Is she eating our dinner?” Lena asked.

The young Luthor strolled into the kitchen dressed for the evening.  She wore black silk slacks with wide legs that stayed the same length from thigh to ankle and a matching loose coat.  Her blouse was also silk but white.  The only jewelry she was wearing were some rings which were staples in her life.  Her hair was in a high ponytail.  The whole outfit combined formal and casual.

“You look great,” Kate said stepping forward to embrace Lena and kiss her on the cheek.

Kara watched the kiss placement land, cheek with lip encroachment.

“Thank you,” Lena said with a smile as Kate stepped back.  “You look...what exactly is the plan for this evening?  One of us is not appropriately attired.”

“What would you say if I told you it was you?”

Lena’s gaze flitted across Kara for just a moment before returning to Kate as she smiled.  “I’d say I might have something leather in my closet.”

“Prove it,” Kate said, smiling back.

“Ahem.”

The other women looked over at Kara when she cleared her throat.

“The food is great.  Thanks, Kate.  I’ll be patrolling the city tonight, but I’ll check in here often too.  I’ll do it intermittently, you know, just in case someone is watching the place, so they won’t know.  So, at any time I could be coming by and…” Kara pointed to her eyes with both fingers and then pointed to Kate with the same fingers.  “Just so you know.”  Popping the last piece of pasta into her mouth, Kara stood up and handed the empty casserole dish to Kate.  “Thanks again.  I’m going to change.”

Angling around Lena to watch Kara fly up to the third floor and then disappear down the hallway, Kate shook her head and then smiled.  “Yup, the food did the trick.  She’s really warming up to me.”

Walking by Kate with a casual touch of the redhead’s arm, Lena said, “She’s just overprotective.  It has nothing to do with you, Kate.  She’s worried that I’ll be—”

Kate took Lena’s hand before the other woman could disconnect, turning and pulling them together.  She ran a hand along Lena’s waist, down onto her hip as she said, “Oh, I think it has a lot to do with me.  You’re in no danger of being killed when you’re with me.  It’s not your life Kara’s trying to protect, is it?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“The girl scout is trying to protect your virtue.”

With a sharp laugh, Lena replied, “Well, that ship has sailed.”

With a slower and more casual laugh, Kate said, “Good to know, but that’s not exactly what I mean.  Kara might trust me around all of the rest of the citizens in National City, to protect them, but she doesn’t trust me around you.  Why do you think that is?”

“Poor timing on your part,” Lena replied looking away. “Kara and my friendship is strained, damaged.  I don’t know how we’re going to get it back to what we had before.  I expect Kara is just transferring some of the unease she has at our situation onto you, the new person in the room.  It’s not you though, and it’s very unlike her.  Don’t take it personally.”

“Lena.  Hey, look at me,” Kate added cupping Lena’s cheek with her palm until their gazes met again.  “Do you honestly think that if that girl walked in here and saw us standing this close right now, she wouldn’t want to rip my arms off?”

“If you honestly thought that, why would you be doing it?”

Kate smiled.  “Maybe you’re worth losing an arm over.”

“Oh, enough you,” Lena said pushing Kate gently away to which the redhead responded instantly.  “Kara isn’t violent.  She’s the gentlest person I know.  If I were to be involved with someone, she’d be happy for me.”

“Sure, if that someone’s name were Kara.”

“I...pfft, please.  That’s ludicrous.  I think you’ve taken too many kicks to the head.  Kara has no interest in me, and there’s no way a Super would ever be involved with a Luthor.”

“Hey, maybe you need a knock to the head.  Why wouldn’t anyone be interested in you?”

“I don’t know maybe the genocidal family, constant death threats against me, some of which do come from my family, the fact that my mail is an even split of letters from lawyers and hate mail.  I’m a workaholic constantly trying to undo whatever has gone ass-backward in one of my companies this week, and the blood levels in the alcohol supply coursing through my system tends to be a bit off...a lovely trait for which I can thank my father.  Honestly, if you’re looking to date someone who will be largely absent, regularly hated by the populace, and likely murdered by a blood relative before the age of thirty, I’m your girl.”

Kate remained quiet for several moments and then broke into a wide grin.  “Damn, you are the best date I’ve had in months.”

“You don’t get out much, do you?”

“Well, technically I do have an active outgoing social life, but it involves getting into fistfights with large groups of armed assailants, so probably not what most people mean when they use the phrase.”  Stepping closer to Lena again, but not touching her this time, Kate said, “You know, I came to do one night of security as a favor to Mags.  Do you know why I stayed?”

Swallowing hard at the other woman’s intensity, Lena replied, “To protect National City.”

Kate stretched her arms onto either side of Lena, making the other woman back into the center island to avoid contact.  Grabbing the top of the island with both hands, Kate smiled.  “That was an excuse to stick around.  I like you, Lena.  I want to get to know you better.  If you and the Kryptonian settle things as just friends or less, I want to make it clear; I’m interested in more.  Any questions?”

Pushing Kate back with a single finger, Lena said, “Yes, why don’t you go get changed while I set the table?”

Holding her hands up while she backed up, Kate said, “That’s a cop-out but fine.  I’ll respect your boundaries.  I do have a question in return.”

“Oh, I look forward to this.  Go on.”

“What are your feelings on Kara?  If I’m right and she’s interested in more than friendship, how about you?  Does it matter?”

“Honestly?”

Kate nodded.  “Always.  I’m a big girl.  I can take it.”

Lena took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “At times Kara and I struggle to even be civil.  I thought I knew her, but I was wrong.  We’re living together, and we’ll laugh, joke around, and things will feel just like they used to, and then I remember...I remember that she’s been lying to me since the day I met her, and I don’t know if the thing about which we’re smiling is honest or just part of some elaborate cover story.  I liked the Kara I knew.  I loved the Kara I knew.  I don’t know this person.  I keep getting this all too familiar feeling around her.  It reminds me of being home with the Luthors again, and it frightens me.”

“Well, that’s fucked up.”

“Still the best date you’ve had in months?”

Kate chuckled.  “Sadly, yes.”

Smiling, Lena replied, “Well, that’s fucked up.”

“Ha!  Nice.  Okay, I’m going to ditch these leathers before we need to reheat food.  You sure you don’t want to just skip straight to dessert?”

“I’ll assume that’s a sexual innuendo.  Just go get changed.”

“You may assume everything is a sexual innuendo,” Kate said turning to leave the kitchen.

“Noted,” Lena said as she opened a cabinet.

“Well, have a good night, you two,” Kara said as she landed in front of the balcony door facing out toward the city.  “I’ll um...I’ll swing around at some point, but I won’t disturb you.  Just...just have a good night, okay?”

“Kara?” Lena said, stopping the hero with the glass door open.  “Be careful, all right?  This is the first time that you...I...This is the first time you’ve gone out since I’ve known, so please be careful.”

Still not turning, Kara nodded and stepped onto the balcony, sliding the door closed behind her.  She took to the air, hovering several feet above the penthouse and wiping tears from her eyes and face as they continued to fall.  When they didn’t stop, she just turned and headed out into the night, leaving the couple behind.

In one of the bedrooms upstairs, Kate made a phone call while she stripped off her leathers to get down to her dress suit below.

_“Hey, what’s up?”_

“Hey, Mags.  So, your girl has some serious work ahead of her.”

_“What happened?”_

“I asked Lena, asked her to lay it on the line for me, her feelings about Kara.  It wasn’t great.”

_“Define not great.”_

“She said she doesn’t know Kara, doesn’t trust her, and being around her makes her feel like a kid in the Luthor household again.  She’s scared.”

_“Oh, you are fucking kidding me.”_

“It gets worse.”

_“How?!”_

_“What’s going on?”_ Alex called out in the background.

 _“Hold on!”_ Maggie yelled back. _“Kate, what happened?”_

“I’m pretty sure your girl was listening in.  She showed up as soon as the conversation was over, left immediately barely saying a word, and didn’t even bother threatening me again.  It was like she gave up.”

_“Ugh!  Fuck me sideways with a telephone pole.”_

_“What!?  What!?”_ Alex yelled.

_“Hold your fucking horses!  I’ll tell you when I’m off the phone!”_

_“Is it Kara?  Are you talking to Kara?”_

_“No, I’m not talking to Kara.  Go get dressed and call your sister, though.  We’ve got problems.  Don’t just glare at me, Danvers!  Move your sweet ass!”_

_“We’re talking about this, Sawyer!”_

_“Women,”_ Maggie mumbled, _“Kate, what the fuck did you do!?_

“Hey, don’t get all bitchy at me, Mags.  I’m doing my job here.  I talked to Kara, and things are weird here when you guys aren’t over to keep them more civil.  Kara says they’re uncomfortable.  I don’t know her, but you and Alex said she’s always upbeat, and she seems kind of depressed.”

_“Fuck.”_

“Right.  I wanted to try and give her some advice, but Lena showed up, and I had to put my flirty routine back into play.  That just pissed off Kara again but…you know.  A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”

_“A girl doesn’t have to be too good at her job.  I know how good you are at your job.  I’m a good part of your resume, and Kara is just applying for an internship.”_

“Hey, I’m a freaking missionary here.  I will point out I am single, and an incredibly hot and also single woman is the point of contention here.  I should be fucking canonized here.”

_“You’re not even Catholic.”_

“It shouldn’t even matter,” Kate argued.  “You’ve seen Lena.  That eyebrow thing, think about that eyebrow thing.”

There was a several beat pause.   _“Okay, valid point.  You’re a living saint.”_

“Thank you.”

_“What about the Kara situation?  Do you have any ideas?”_

“Is me **actually** forgetting Kara’s name and being a bit more of a mercenary about this an option?”

_“Kate, I’m marrying her sister.”_

“But the eyebrow thing.”

_“Focus!”_

“Argh!  Okay, sorry.  Look, let me see what I can do on this end as one of the greatest humanitarians of the twenty-first centuries.  You and Alex need to stage an intervention with Kara.  I’m assuming that she’s been relatively honest with Lena about everything but her secret identity?”

_“Oh, hell yeah.  Kara’s a real goody-two-shoes.  She’s also an awful liar.  I have no idea how Lena didn’t figure it out on her own.”_

“Maybe she didn’t want to.”

_“That’s what I said!  Okay, you talk to Lena and try and do whatever you’re going to do.  I’ll get Alex to talk to her sister.  I’m going to go buy ice cream.  I’ll see about making plans with Lena for tomorrow.  You know, these two kids are huge pains in the ass.  I’m not even sure why I’m doing this.”_

“I’m assuming your fiancée made you do it.”

Maggie sighed.   _“Yeah, true love and all that crap.  Hey, what do you think of the name SuperCorp?”_

 _“We’re not calling it that!”_ Alex yelled out.

_“Are you even dressed!?”_

_“Yes!”_

_“That’s my shirt!”_ Maggie yelled.

_“Community property, baby!”_

Disconnecting, Kate sat on the bed and untied her laces.  “I am never fucking getting married.  Those women are crazy.”

 

<><> 

 

“Sweetie pie, I’m home, and I picked up some ice cream!” Maggie said as she came into the apartment and headed toward the kitchen adding, “How’s the love of my life?”

“Kara’s not here yet, and that sounded fake as all fuck,” Alex said from the couch.

“Hey, I’m trying here.”  Maggie opened the freezer, shoving the ice cream away.  “A for effort maybe?”

“Ha!  C- for effort maybe.  Don’t detectives have to do undercover work?”

“Yeah, but I kind of suck at it.  I have a limited repertoire.  I can only do three things: good cop, bad cop, and gonna get laid cop.  You didn’t want me walking in here yelling, ‘Just confess, motherfucker, or by the time you get out your grandkids will be collecting social security!’  That left good cop since I’m just assuming seducing your sister is out of the question, but if it’s not…”  Maggie winked as she sat next to Alex on the couch.

“Ugh.  Remind me again why I’m marrying you?”

Holding her fingers up in a V-shape, Maggie mimed licking between them.

Alex narrowed her eyes and glared for several seconds, then exhaled heavily.  “Yeah, that is why I’m marrying you.”

“Woo Hoo!”  Maggie held her arms over her head and leaped to her feet, jumping around slightly.  “Gonna get laid cop for the win!”

There was a knock on the window, and both women turned to see a rather withdrawn looking Supergirl wave at them.

“Does she know why she’s here?” Maggie whispered, barely moving her mouth.

“DEO, security, blah, blah blah,” Alex replied rubbing at her upper lip, then waved her sister in as she said loudly, “Hey, get in here you!”

“Yeah, your Super-sense must be tingling.  I just bought ice cream,” Maggie said as she headed toward the kitchen.

“No thanks, Maggie.  Not hungry,” Kara muttered as she flopped back onto the loveseat, her legs dangling off the end.

Maggie stopped and turned so suddenly, she almost fell.  “What did she say?”

Sitting on the edge of the loveseat next to her sister, Alex squeezed Kara’s shoulder.  “Kara, what’s wrong?”

Kara sighed heavily.  “I screwed everything up.  Lena’s scared of me.”

“Kar, I don’t think she’s scared of you.”

“Yeah, she is.  She said having me around makes her frightened like when she was a little kid.  I’m like Lillian.”  Rolling into the couch so that her face was smushed into the cushions, Kara said, “I suck.”

“Hey, come here.  Kara, roll back over and look at me.”

“No.”

“You don’t suck,” Alex assured as she rubbed her sisters back, hand under the cape.  “This thing with Lena, whatever it is, you two just need to talk through it.  Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?  Why did Lena tell you she feels like a little kid around you?”

“She didn’t tell me!”  Kara said suddenly flipping back over and causing Alex to pull her hand away.  Staring at Maggie who was seated on the couch again, Kara explained, “She told that hot vigilante you brought into town.”

“Kate?”

“Yes, Kate!  She’s all smooth and seductive.  She keeps putting the moves on Lena, and they’re good moves too.  She has all of these witty lines and quick responses.  Oh, and she knows how to cook.  She even cooked for me, and it was so darn good.  That’s not fair, Mags.  You ask around, and you can find out that food is even a bigger weakness of mine than Kryptonite.  She’s a vigilante detective.  She must have researched me and found my weakness.  I think maybe she’s my nemesis.”

“Because she fed you?” Maggie asked.

Kara nodded.  “They were big raviolis, and they were really good.”

“So, if I offer you ice cream again, does that make me a supervillain?”

“Just go get the ice cream, hun.  I think Kara and I need a minute.”  As Maggie left, Alex pushed on her sister’s shoulder.  “Come on.  Sit up.  Sit up for me.”

Grumbling, Kara said, “Fine.  Are you going to tell me I’m overreacting about Kate?”

“No,” Alex said as she slid in next to her sister.  “I’m going to tell you I get it.  I’m jealous of her too.”

“I...uh...I am not jealous of her.  I’m Supergirl, and she’s just a human vigilante...no offense to humans.”

“None taken.  Kara, Supergirl isn’t jealous of Batwoman.  Kara is jealous of Kate just like Alex is.  This has nothing to do with our jobs. Kate is beautiful, smart, sexy, a bit flirtatious—”

“A bit?”

“Okay, a lot, and she and Maggie have history.  It’s not like Kate showed up with her wife of five years and their kid.  Kate rode into town on a motorcycle, in a set of leathers, looking hot as hell and smiling like she knew things about my fiancée that I’d never know.  She’s been pretty much nice, wishing us well and all, but still, I’m jealous.”

“But Alex, Maggie loves you, and she’s going to marry you.  You have no reason to be jealous,” Kara assured.

“Oh, my brain knows that.  The problem is that my brain isn’t running this little operation.  This is all heart stuff.  I haven’t been living in my heart all that long.”  Looking up as Maggie entered the room, Alex smiled.  “This lady is helping.”

With three pints of ice cream balanced one on top of the other and tucked under her chin, spoons in the other hand, Maggie asked, “How am I helping, besides the ice cream that is?”

“You help with everything, babe.”  Alex took the top two ice creams and sat back down.  “Now Kara, I have an important question for you.  How do you feel about Lena?”

“Ice cream?”

“Not yet.  I have cookie dough in this hand and chunks of brownie in this hand.  No ice cream until we get through this, understand?”

“Well, I understand you’re mean, Alex.”

Putting two spoons on the coffee table, Maggie smiled as she sat down and opened her ice cream and began to eat.

“Maggie, what kind do you have?” Kara asked.

“Maple.  Do you want some?”

“It’s vegan,” Alex warned.

The smile falling off her face, Kara slid back on the loveseat and pouted.  “Mean.”

“Yes, we’re both awful to you, Kara.  Now, answer the question.  How do you feel about Lena?”

“Ugh.  She’s my best friend, Alex.  You know this.  Why is this a big deal?  Just give me my ice cream.”

“No.”  Alex leaned away from grabby Kryptonian hands.  “I know she’s your best friend, Kara, but is that all you want from the relationship?  Do you just want to be her friend?”

“Right now I wish she were my friend.  I’m not sure she’s even that.”

“Kara.”  Alex held one of the pints of ice cream slightly forward.  “Tell the cookie dough the truth.  Do you like, like Lena?”

Kara took several breaths and swallowed hard, her gaze moving back and forth between her sister’s and the ice cream.  Finally, she nodded and swiped the ice cream.  Grabbing a spoon also, she tossed the ice cream lid on the coffee table and began to eat with fervor.  

With a broad smile, Alex said, “There now was that so hard?”

“She hates me, Alex.  I lost my best friend, and she’ll never be anything more.”

“Hey.”  Wrapping an arm around Kara’s shoulder, Alex pulled her in closer.  “You’re not going to lose your best friend, and if Lena likes you too, we’re going to help you both.  You can count on us, okay?”

Kara furrowed her brows while she continued to eat.  “No games, Alex.  I already lied to her for too long.  She deserves total honesty.”

Alex caught sight of Maggie’s raised eyebrows, but only smiled at her sister.  “I agree that you should be completely honest with Lena, Kara.  Why don’t you tell us exactly what Lena told Kate, so Maggie and I can help you make a plan to get the girl?”

“Without lying to her?” Kara asked.

“Kara, you’re an awful liar.  I don’t think you should tell Lena anything you don’t believe to be true.  That should be your new policy.”

“Thank you, Alex.”  Kara sunk into her sister, hugging her close.  When she pulled back, she eyed the other ice cream.  “Trade now?”

“Like always, of course.”  Alex grabbed the other spoon off the table, handing her ice cream and spoon over to her sister.  She sat back, listening to her sister go on about what she’d overheard from Kate while she and Maggie stared at each other.  They had one idiot admitting her feelings, and one to go.


	11. Family

“Hi.”

Lena looked up at the person who stopped at her office door, a small, white, cardboard box in hand.

“Detective Saw...Maggie.”  Lena smiled.  “Did we have an appointment?”

“A friend can’t just stop by with muffins?” Maggie asked raising the box and closing the door behind her as she entered the room.

“I...suppose.”  Lena watched Maggie sit down in the chair across from her, depositing the box on her desk.  “So, this is a social visit?”

“What else would it be?”

“All right.  Well, I have a little bit of time until--”

“You don’t have another appointment until 11:00.  We have plenty of time to chat.”  Popping open the box with a grin, Maggie said, “Muffin?  They’re vegan.”

Lena eyed the muffins for a moment, then Maggie.  Picking up her phone, she hit a button.  “Eve, bring me a coffee, would you?  And for Detective Sawyer…?  How do you take your coffee, Maggie?”

“Ah, soy milk and two sugars?”

Lena nodded.  “A coffee with soy milk and two sugars for the detective.  Thank you, Eve.”  Hanging up, Lena opened a drawer and pulled out a few napkins, handing some over to Maggie and then putting some on the desk for herself as she put a muffin on hers. “So, a social visit.  Is this about Kate or Kara?”

Looking up from the muffin she had just placed on her napkins, Maggie met Lena’s gaze and replied, “Yeah, it is beautiful weather today.  One of the perks of living in National City, I agree.  Alex?  Well, she’s doing great, thanks for asking.  Did you catch the Padres game the other night?”

Leaning back in her chair, Lena nodded.  “All right.  I apologize.  I assumed you were here to grill me about your friend or your fiancée’s sister.  Kara is the only one that has made any real effort in being a friend to me and…”  Looking past Maggie, she frowned.

Maggie looked over at Kara who sat typing on her laptop in the main area and didn’t seem to be paying them any mind.  Returning her attention the Lena, Maggie asked, “What’s the matter, hun?  I thought you two were doing better.”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

“Um, specially trained police detective here.  I’m pretty good at observing and picking out deception.  You’re not okay.  Whatever is going on with you and Kara isn’t okay.  Want to talk about it?”

“With Kara’s future sister-in-law?  Pass.”

“I don’t have to tell Alex everything you know.  I can keep a confidence if it’s the right thing to do.”

“Let’s not put you in that situation.”

“Lena--”

“Maggie, it’s fine, really.  Things with Kara are...they’re fine.  They’re not ideal, but they’re fine.  Just work on catching this assassin, so Kara and I can go back to our own lives.  Can you do that for me?”

“Is that what you want?”

“Do I want you to catch the assassin?  Is that a joke?”

“That’s not what I mean.”  Maggie scooched her chair in a little closer to the desk.  “Do you want to go back to your normal life, your life without Kara?”

“Well, she’ll still be around.  I bought the damn company where she works.  At least until I hire a new CEO here, I’ll be--”

“Are you going to?”

“Excuse me?”

“Are you going to hire a new CEO of Catco once we catch Janković?  Do you not want to see Kara every day anymore?”

Instead of replying immediately, Lena began slowly to peel the wrapper off of her muffin.  Inch by inch she turned the muffin, peeling each little piece of the covering off the snack.  When she finally spoke, she did it with her gaze still affixed on the food.  “Now I understand what they mean when they say ignorance is bliss.”  It wasn’t until she had finished speaking that she raised her eyes and once again maintained eye contact with Maggie.

“Hmmm.”  Maggie’s fingers drummed out a beat on the desk’s surface.  “If you could go back to not knowing about Kara, would you?”

“No,” Lena replied immediately.  “I’m a scientist first.  Knowledge has always been my first passion.”

“Okay, so what do you do when you don’t like the results of something you learn on a little scientific expedition.  Do you walk away?”

“I don’t,” Lena admitted.  “I push forward.”

“So push forward.”

“It’s not that easy this time.”  Lena made a gesture with her hand toward the general reporters’ area.  “Kara lied to me.”

“You’re right.  She did,” Maggie agreed.  “Kara’s not perfect.  That hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Quite a bit.”

“Don’t trust her?”

“Not really.”

“Do you trust me?”  Maggie asked.

“Not yet.”

“Good instincts.  We don’t know each other that well, and I’m no Kara Danvers.  I’m pretty good, at least I hope so, but I’ll lie to you if we’re friends.”

Brows furrowed, Lena frowned.

“Don’t give me the stink eye, Luthor.  People lie to each other.  I won’t lie to you to hurt you, but if I think it’s in your best interests, I’d do it.  I’m sure you’ve lied to Kara.”  Maggie watched a thoughtful look cross Lena’s face and added, “Medusa?”

“I didn’t inform her of my plans to capture my mother for both Kara’s and Supergirl’s safety.  It was hardly a long and ongoing obfuscation.  The night of my gala I didn’t tell Supergirl what I was planning because I wasn’t sure she’d trust me.  That was more of a deception, but we barely knew each other then.  I was hoping I could prove myself to her, and I revealed my plans that evening.  I never lied about who I was, not to her or to anyone, and I could have taken my family’s money and slinked off to another country where people weren’t trying to kill me.”

“Hey, no one’s denying you’ve got balls...figuratively speaking.  Kara really is Kara Danvers though.  She really is a reporter at Catco.  She really is your friend.  Those things are true.  She has been honest with you.”

“She came into my life under false circumstances.  She knew who I was, a Luthor, but when I met Kara, and until this week, I didn’t know she was a—” Lena looked up, gestured behind Maggie for someone to enter.

With a cup of coffee in each hand, Eve pushed the door open with her back and entered.  As she placed each cup on the desk, she said, “Black coffee for you, Miss Luthor.  Soy milk with two sugars for you, Detective Sawyer.  Is there anything else I can get for you ladies?”

Lena lifted a brow, waiting for Maggie.

Lifting her cup, Maggie said, “This is great.  Thanks.”

“Thank you, Eve.  That will be all.”

“My pleasure, Miss Luthor.  If you need anything, just let me know, Miss Luthor.”  Eve smiled as she backed out of the room, closing the door behind her

“You know, she is a lot more pleasant than your old secretary.”

“Jess?”

Maggie shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee.  “Hmmm.  Makes a good cup of coffee too.  I don’t know the name of the girl at L-Corp, but she was ornery.  This one is nice.”

“Jess is a gem, a rare jewel.  She has discerning tastes, and you goose stepped me out of there in cuffs in front of her.  She reports to Sam Arias now.  I’d avoid visiting Sam at work if you have the choice.  Jess does not easily forgive a slight.”

“Noted,” Maggie said, taking one more sip of her coffee and placing it back on the desk.  “Okay, back to Sunny D.  So, it’s not about what she said, it’s about what she didn’t say, isn’t it?”

“It’s both I suppose,” Lena admitted.  “How would you feel if it turned out Alex was leading a double life, had another name, her family had this huge grudge with yours, and yet she started a relationship with you knowing all of this while keeping it a secret from you?  Also, all of her friends were in on the secret and helped keep it from you?  Does that sound like a little lie of omission to protect you, or the kind of lie we all tell each other like, ‘those jeans don’t make you look fat’, you know?”

Leaning back in her chair, a smile spread across Maggie’s face until her dimples stood out clearly.

“What are you grinning about?”

“I just want to make sure I understand you clearly.  In this little scenario, you’re me, and Kara is Alex.  Is that right?”

“Well, yes because--”

“No, no, no.  I got it.  You’re me, and you’re having sex with a hot Danvers sister, right?”

Lena sighed.  “I did not say that.”

“But that’s what I heard.  For the record, Danvers sister sex is hot in case you were wondering.  You weren’t wondering were you?”

“No.”

“Oh, you’re sure?  You weren’t thinking about that kind of relationship with any Danvers sister in particular?  You know, the kind where you go out to lunch and dinner together all the time, send each other flowers, use the words relationship and love.  Does that sound like anyone you know?”

Picking off a piece of her muffin, Lena ate a bite.  “Oh, that’s quite tasty.  What is that, lemon?”

“Lemon poppy seed.  They’re good, right?”

“Very.  They’re vegan?”

“Yup.”

“What do they use instead of butter?”

“Applesauce.”

“Hmmm.”  Lena nodded.  “Are you done mocking me yet?”

“I’ve barely started.  Lena, are you upset because your friend didn’t tell you the truth about who she was, or because you had more than friendly feelings for someone and then found out who she really was?”

Pulling off another piece of muffin, Lena ate it instead of answering.

Maggie shrugged as she picked up her muffin.  “Both can be true, you know.”

For several moments Lena didn’t respond, only sipped at her coffee staring into it as if it were tea and she could read a fortune within the leaves.  Finally, with a heavy sigh, she asked, “Have you ever killed anyone for Alex?”

“I...I’m sorry, what are we talking about?”

“To save Alex’s life, have you ever killed anyone?”

With a half-shrug, Maggie replied, “I suppose.  We’ve been in a few firefights.  There are cities in this country you can serve and never discharge your weapon as a police officer.  National City is not one of them.”

Lena nodded once.  “Did you ever kill someone you loved for Alex?”

“What?”

“Have you ever killed someone you loved at all?”

As Lena tried to take another sip of her coffee, Maggie took the mug from her hand and sniffed it.  “Okay, is ‘coffee black’ code for ‘use vodka instead of water’ or something?  What’s going on with you?”

“I knew Jack for five years, dated him for two.  My family approved of him, and he was a wonderful person.  I loved him.  The nanobytes…”  Lena swallowed hard.  “The nanobytes were killing Supergirl, and the only way to stop that was to kill Jack.  He understood.  He wouldn’t have wanted to live if it meant her death, but I still had to make that choice and kill someone I loved to save her.”  Lena’s gaze drifted over to where Kara sat.  “I didn’t know it was Kara at the time.  I didn’t know the choice I was making between people in my life, who would live and who would die, but don’t you think I deserved to know?”  Looking back at Maggie she added, “It’s been a year, and I still have nightmares about Jack.  I still see the light going out of his eyes as he died at my hands.”

“Jesus Christ.”

Taking her coffee back, Lena took a sip.  “Prayer hasn’t helped.  Working long hours and drinking has been my best recourse to date for many things that ail me.”

“Damn kid you...Yeah, I don’t have any words of comfort for you, but I’ll be in touch if anything comes to me.  If you’d known at the time who Kara was, you would have still made the same decision, right?”

“Without question.  Jack needed to be stopped, and Supergirl isn’t about one person.  She’s about National City, about the whole world.  Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed it is Kara.”

“You are?”

Lena nodded.  “I liked it better when Kara was human.  Well, when I thought Kara was human.  You understand what I mean.  Kara was normal, awkward, sweet, exactly the kind of person you’d want to have in your life.  Supergirl is larger than life.  She isn’t a friend or...or anything.  As small as Superman made my brother feel, Supergirl increased my limits.  She was an ideal to which I tried to aspire but knew I never would.  That was fine.  I mean, no one would ever be good enough for Supergirl.”

Smiling at Lena, Maggie asked, “No one?”

“Well, no human.”  

Forearms on the desk, Maggie said, “Go ahead and say it.”

“Say what?”

“What you always say.”

“I hardly think you know me well enough to--”

“No Luthor.”

With a small gasp, Lena pulled her head back.

“Yeah, it doesn’t take long to figure that part of you out.  It also doesn’t take long to figure out it’s crap.”  Pointing back behind her, Maggie said, “She screwed up, true, but that just means in the ways that really matter she is human.”  Pointing at Lena she added, “In the ways that matter, you’re human too, the best parts of humanity.  Stop selling yourself short.  What you and Supergirl don’t have in common is DNA.  What you two do have in common is what matters.”

“You still don’t know me well enough to make that kind of assumption.”

“And you don’t make it easy.  So, you and Kara will come over to Alex and my place tonight for dinner.”

“Someone’s trying to kill me.”

“So what else is new,” Maggie replied.  “Just come over.  I’m sure we can get you cover for the trip, and our place will be secure.”

“Have you run this by Kara?”

“No, but I—”

“I don’t think so.”

Maggie sighed.  “Is this a safety thing, or is it an us thing?  If you don’t want to get to know us better—”

“Safety.”

“You’re sure?” Maggie asked.

“Definitely, safety,” Lena assured.  “Kara is being...difficult when it comes to my safety right now.  Things are already strained enough with her as they are.  I need to speak to her about something else, and she won’t like it.  I long ago learned how and when to pick my battles.”

Maggie nodded, narrowing her eyes as she continued to eat her muffin.

“This is definitely a safety thing, or more so a Kara thing in that regard.  When this is all over, and the latest death threat is behind us, I’d enjoy spending time with you again…Maggie.  Perhaps not another ladies club.”

Eyes momentarily closed, Maggie nodded and held up her hand.  Opening her eyes and smiling, Maggie said, “Okay then.  Alex and I will be over to your place tonight for dinner.”

“You’re inviting yourselves over?”

“You could invite us over.”

“Fine,” Lena replied with a sigh.  “Maggie, would you and Agent Danvers like to join Kara and me for dinner this evening?”

“That depends.  What are you cooking?”

“I’m cooking?”

“Hey, I invited you over and offered to make dinner, but you said you’d take a raincheck.  By the way, that means you still have to come over to our place for dinner, and let us cook a meal for you when this is all over.  You’re not getting out of that, Luthor.”  Pointing at the box on the table, Maggie replied, “Since I brought muffins today, you and Kara can cook.”

“Kara’s cooking?  Kara cooks?  I’ve seen her attempt to bake once, and it was...I don’t think Kara cooks.”

“Uh...you may be right.  I bet she cuts vegetables though.  Chop, chop, chop.  You have a super sou chef.”

Narrowing her eyes, Lena said, “I bet you think you’re charming.”  

“Do I think I’m charming?  Nah.  Do the lesbians in National City think I’m charming?”  Maggie just smiled until her dimples were deeply apparent.  

“You know…”  Lena pointed at the detective but then dropped her hand to the desk.  “You’re probably right.  Vegan, correct?”

“You got it.”  Standing, Maggie gestured for Lena to do the same.  “Come here.”

“What am I doing?” Lena asked as she walked around her desk.

“I’m leaving.  You’re giving me a hug.”

“We hug?”

Squeezing Lena quickly but firmly, Maggie stepped back and grinned.  “Apparently, we do.  See you and your girlfriend tonight.”

“She’s not...Oh, that’s right.  I’ll see you and your fiancée tonight.  Dinner will not be ready before 7:30.  This is not negotiable, Maggie.”

“Hey, no problem.  That gives us time to socialize before dinner.  See you two at 6:30.”

“Maggie!”  Lena warned.

Winking, Maggie headed out of the office.  She waved at Kara who had looked up from her desk and waved back, then pulled out her phone as she got into the elevator.

Maggie:  “Okay, we’re having dinner with ur sister and her girlfriend tonight.”

Danvers:  “So it went well?”

Maggie:  “Yup.”

Danvers:  “What happened?”

Maggie:  “We talked.”

Danvers:  “About?”

Maggie:  “Things.  Stuff.”

Danvers:  “No shit Sherlock.  Give me details.”

Maggie:  “It was private stuff.”

Danvers:  “Babe, I’m trying not to get pissy here.”

Danvers:  “We’re supposed to be working on this together.”

Danvers:  “WTF did u talk about that’s private from me?”

Maggie:  “Chill, babe.”

Maggie:  “Lena didn’t want to talk to me because ur Kara’s sister.”

Maggie:  “She didn’t want to put me in that position, so I said it would be cool.”

Maggie:  “I don’t have to tell u everything because I don’t.  This has nothing to do with u.  Relax.”

Three little dots appeared and disappeared a few times.

Danvers:  “OK.”

Danvers:  “Is she ok?  Is Lena ok?”

Maggie:  “Babe, she’s been through some shit.”

Maggie:  “The kid needs a friend.”

Maggie:  “I hope we can make SuperCorp happen but right now Lena needs a friend.”

Maggie:  “That’s my priority.”

Danvers:  “Ok.”

Maggie:  “That’s it?”

Maggie:  “No capslock yelling for the SuperCorp comment?”

Danvers:  “Ur being awesome to Lena so no.”

Danvers:  “When u get home I’m gonna let u have it?”

Maggie:  “U gonna whoop my ass?”

Danvers:  “After the SuperCorp comment?  U wish.”

Maggie:  “Ouch.”

 

<><> 

 

Kara opened the door to Lena’s apartment with a smile.  “Hey, guys, welcome to our home.”

“Very nice,” Maggie said as she walked in.  “Hey, love what you’ve done with the place.  It really looks like you, Kara.”

“Well, I have stuff in my room, but, uh...You know.  It’s really just Lena’s place so...ummm…”

“Kara?”  Placing a hand on her sister’s shoulder, Alex smiled.  “Ignore the brat.  How are you doing?”

Smiling, Kara looked behind her, but no one else was in the room yet.  Facing her sister again, she said, “Fine.  I chopped lots of vegetables.  I even made salad.”

“You’re eating salad?” Alex asked.

“Me?”  Kara laughed.  “No.  You know salad is bad for my health.”

“Salad is not bad for anyone’s health, Kara,” Lena said as she entered from the kitchen using a dishrag to dry her hands.

“Alex, back me up here,” Kara said.

“Ah, I don’t know that I should get in the middle of your relationship.  You don’t get between a vegetarian and a Kryptonian on the subject of vegetables.”

“Yeah, Alex would hate to meddle.”  Maggie grinned.

After shooting her fiancée the stink eye, Alex turned to Lena and said, “I know how helpful my sister is in the kitchen.  What can I do?”

“Hey, I’m fine in the kitchen,” Kara argued.

“You’re a consumer, not a producer, Kara.  Anyway, Lena and I should get to know each other better.  You hang out with your future sister-in-law, and I’ll spend time with your girlfriend.”

Kara and Lena exchanged an awkward look.

“I hope you two are more convincing at work.  That was awful,” Maggie said.

“Yeah, it was,” Alex agreed.  “Come on, Lena.  Let’s see what’s for dinner.”

“Actually, I have that fairly well in hand.”

“Then show me the wine.”

“Ah.”  Lena nodded.  “Follow me, Agent Danvers.”

“It’s Alex.” As she entered the kitchen, Alex smiled.  “Okay, something smells good.  I know my sister had nothing to do with whatever’s cooking.  You know how to cook?”

“I do.  I’ve rarely had the opportunity to do so in years, but I rather enjoy it.  Kara told me you like Indian food.”

“I love Indian food.”  Alex leaned over the oven, examining the various electronic displays.  “Okay, I’m looking for a little light switch so I can see what’s cooking.  Mine just has an on and off switch.  I’m pretty sure yours launches the space shuttle.”

Laughing, Lena pressed ‘menu’ several times and then the right arrow, pushing a button to turn on the light inside the stove.  “Well, yes, NASA has been known to call me on occasion.  I am a consultant though.”

Smiling up from looking through the glass oven front, Alex’s brows furrowed.  “Wait, are you serious?”

Lena shrugged.  “I have security clearance.  I have perfectly good degrees in engineering and mathematics, and L-Corp has an aeronautics division.  I might as well be good for something other than making money, don’t you think?”

“Lady, you’re scary.”

“I’m scary?”  Lena asked with raised eyebrows.  “You grew up with Supergirl, and I’m scary?”

“Yes, but in a good way,” Alex replied.  “So, what did a NASA consultant billionaire who’s dating Supergirl make me for dinner?”

“NASA consultant billionaires that are **pretending** to date Supergirl have to eat too, you know.  Tonight you and Kara will be having kashmiri chicken, cardamom and saffron pilau.  Maggie and I will be eating Thai curry mixed vegetables.  I tried to convince Kara we could all eat the same thing, but the face she made when I told her our meal was carrots, broccoli, cauliflower …”  Lena smiled.  “Worth it, it was worth it.  As soon as this assassin is caught we’re switching to all vegetable and tofu diet in this household.  I don’t think your sister will stay five minutes.”

“Ah, you’re right.”  Alex gave Lena a half-hearted smile.  “So, let’s drink.”

“Not that it’s much of a contest, but you are my favorite Danvers sister.”  Walking over to one of the black mirrored surfaces, Lena slid her hand into an indent and opened a tall but fairly narrow cabinet looking set up next to the refrigerator.  It turned out to be another refrigerated unit, but this one only held wine bottles laid down on their sides.  “With dinner, I’ve chosen a Viognier from Condrieu.  It will pair well with both the saffron and the curry.  However, if you’d prefer a red before the meal, take your pick.  I also have a selection of whites in another cabinet.”

A hand over her mouth, Alex didn’t respond.

“Are you all right?”

Alex nodded, finally dropping her hand and turning to Lena.  “Date my sister.”

“I thought that’s what I was doing.”

“No, for real.  Date my sister.  No matter what her dating history might imply, she’s not straight.  Hell, I only dated guys before Maggie.  Your past does not define your future or your present.  Plus, she’s never gotten along with anyone like she gets along with you.  You two are amazing together.”

“Yes, our friendship was—”

“Bullshit.  Bullshit on the just friendship and bullshit on the was part.  You two are too important to each other to give up on everything over one mistake.  Are you really willing to throw Kara out of your life over this?”

“Alex.”  Kara peered around the entryway to the kitchen, gesturing her sister toward her.  “Come here.”

“Not now, I’m busy, Kara.”

“But I really need to talk to you in the living room.”

“Go talk to Maggie.  Go.  Get.”  Alex shooed off her pouting sister with a hand wave.  “Okay, now, Lena—”

“I’m closing the wine refrigerator if you aren’t—”

“Wait!”  Alex grabbed a bottle at random and pulled it out.  “Okay, now we’re good.”

“Do you even know what you selected?”  Lena asked as she shut the door.

“Uh, red?” Alex asked looking at the bottle.

“Yes, accurate.”  Holding out her hand, Lena said, “Let me open that.”

From just a few feet behind Lena, Kara said, “I can open that for you—”

“Out of the kitchen!” Alex and Lena said together.

“Okay!  Okay!  Sheesh.”  Kara continued to mumble as she wandered into the living room again, looking briefly over her shoulder as she left the room.

Handing Lena the bottle, Alex said, “Kara really does care about you, you know.”

Lena examined the bottle briefly, then sticking in the corkscrew and giving it several turns, she said, “Why do you think this has anything to do with Kara’s feelings?  What about my feelings?”

“Okay, what about your feelings?  Do you not care about Kara?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t say much.”

As she withdrew the cork, Lena laid the corkscrew on the table.  She reached into an overhead cabinet and took down a glass vessel about the height of the wine bottle.  It was vaguely U-shaped and narrower on one side than the other, and on that side, it was curved like a spout for pouring.  Slowly, she poured the wine into the wider opening until it settled into the base of the glass vessel.

“What is that?” Alex asked.

“The wine decanter?”  Lena pointed at the glass U-shape.

Alex nodded.

“The wine you selected needs to breathe before drinking, so we’ll aerate it.”

“Oh.  You could have said something.  We could have grabbed a different bottle.”

“This is fine, Agent...Alex.  This bottle is fine, Alex, unless you want something to drink right away.”

“Is the pope Catholic?”

With a smile, Lena pulled two glasses out of a cabinet and then got a bottle of whiskey.  She poured two fingers for each of them.

Taking a sip, Alex relaxed immediately.  “Seriously, date my sister.”

With a head shake, Lena asked, “Do you really try and pimp your sister out based on someone’s alcohol selection?”

“Lena, I’m insulted.  This is not just about the alcohol.  I’m also interested in you for your television...and your hot tub.”

Quipping an eyebrow, Lena asked, “Have you seen my vintage car collection?”

Collapsing forward dramatically on the counter, Alex moaned.  Lifting her head, she said, “Damn, woman, just marry her and put me out of my misery already.”

Lena chuckled, but her face quickly calmed as she took a sip of her drink.  “Perhaps you shouldn’t be so quick to try and pair your sister up with me.  I did kill the last person I dated.”

Alex paused seemingly in consideration, then took a larger swallow of her drink.  “Jack Spheer.”

“Yes, Jack.  That was...Hmmm.”

“I never...Well, I never said anything to you after that happened.  You and I barely knew each other, but I should have said something.”

Lena shrugged.  “There wasn’t anything to say, really.  Jack’s dead.  There’s no going back from that.”

“True, but I wanted to say thank you.”  When Lena looked up sharply, Alex quickly added, “Thank you for saving my sister’s life.  She’s saved so many lives again and again, but you saved hers.  You and she are supposed to be enemies.”

With an eye roll, Lena looked away.

“Hey.”  Alex put her drink down and grabbed Lena’s upper arm.  “I said supposed to be.  You’re a Luthor, and she’s a Super.  That’s like classic comic book opponents right there.”

“I don’t subscribe to comic book tropes.”

“You’re also too good to fall into that.  Really, though, you saved my sister’s life, and I was never even allowed to thank you before.  So, thank you, Lena.”

“I...I’m sorry it was necessary, but I wouldn’t have made any different choice.  Supergirl is—”  Suddenly, Lena was pulled into a fierce hug.  “Oh.  You’re a group of huggers.  That’s right.”

“Kara was such a scared little girl when she first came to this planet, and I was supposed to protect her.  Then she learned English so quickly and was so obnoxious, so superior, and we hated each other.  She saved my life one day, and that all changed, and we’ve been the best friends since then.  She hid herself to protect me, but then she showed herself to the world because my plane was crashing.  I only joined the DEO to keep her safe.  She’s the most important thing on this whole planet to me, and I wouldn’t have her today if not for you.”

Sliding her drink onto the counter, Lena awkwardly returned the hug.  “You’re quite welcome, Alex.  I’m sure anyone would have done the same.”

As Lena tried to pull away, Alex pulled her in close again.  “You saved J’onn’s life too.”

“Who’s John?”

“He’s like a father to me.  He brought me into the DEO, but he’s been watching over me since I lost my dad.  He’s an alien.  When you stopped Medusa, he showed up with Kara and fought Hank Henshaw.”

Managing to push herself to arms-length, Lena asked, “Does he look like Hank Henshaw?”

“Usually,” Alex admitted.  “He’s a shapeshifter.”

“Convenient.  Look, Alex, I’m glad that I was able to--”

“No.”  Shaking Lena once gently by the shoulders, Alex said, “Don’t brush this off.  If not for you I’d be without most of my family.  You saved my family.  Each time you did it, it was at a great personal cost.  Jack died, and you had your mother arrested.  If you think most people would have done that, let alone a few people out there, then you have no idea how uncommonly good you are.”

Head down, Lena folded her hands and seemed to speak to them.  “If it weren’t for my family, yours would be whole.”

That gave Alex pause, but she quickly recovered.  “You are not your mother.”

Lifting her head, Lena asked, “Can you tell me that you don’t look at me and see a Luthor, see the damage that’s been done to your family?”

“Absolutely.  I look at someone who’s younger than my sister and has been as much of a victim of the Luthors as we have...maybe more.  People give me sympathy, and I’m going to get my father back.  People blame you for being adopted and don’t give you credit for all the good you’ve done.  The only person I know who consistently hasn’t done that is Kara.  She’s defended you time and time again, and she’s right.  She’s judged you based on you, not on your mother.  Kara’s been right about you every time, and she’s been willing to yell at everyone else she cares about to defend you.  I’m sorry you’ve never seen that, but it’s the truth.”

Blinking rapidly, Lena said, “The only one who’s ever defended me was Lex.”

“Not the only one now,” Alex said as she rubbed Lena’s upper arms.  “I’m sorry you lost your brother.”

“I…” Lena nodded.  “Thank you.  I miss him.  I miss the person he was, but I lost him long ago.”

“I know hun, but you’re not alone.”  When Lena nodded and relaxed somewhat, Alex pulled her in for another hug.  “You’re not alone if you don’t want to be.”

Holding Alex in return, Lena said, “I’m so sorry about your father.”

“That’s on your mother, not you.  I hate her.  I know I probably shouldn’t say that to you, but I hate her.”

Lena nodded into Alex’s shoulder.  “I understand.  I hate her too...and I love her.  I’m sorry about that.”  For several seconds they just stood there in silence before Lena added, “I’d like to help bring your father home to you.  Will you let me try?”

“Of course.”

Pushing back again, Lena asked, “Really?”

“Of course.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to…”  Nodding and wiping away a stray tear that had gathered in her eye, Lena said, “Can we have more to drink?”

“Of course,” Alex replied, with a chuckle as she stepped back and wiped at her own eyes.  “We can always have another drink.  I think we’ve earned them.”

In the living room, Maggie squeezed Kara’s hand.  “You look better.  What’s going on in there?”

Smiling as tears ran down her face, Kara said, “I have the best sister in the world.”

“I know.  That’s why I’m marrying her.”

Putting her arm around Maggie, Kara pulled her closer.  “I’m going to have the best sisters in the world.”

“How about the best girlfriend?” Maggie asked.

Very quietly Kara replied, “Yes, please.”


	12. Press Conference

“Miss Danvers?”

Kara looked up at her name, surprised to see Eve Teschmacher standing there with a broad smile on her face.

“Hi,” If possible, Eve’s smile grew. “Miss Luthor would like to see her in your office, Miss Danvers.”

“Eve.”  Kara sighed as she stood, adjusting her glasses by the outsides of the frames on both sides.  “We’ve worked together for years.  My name is Kara.  You’ve always called me Kara.  We’ve talked about this.”

“Right, Kara, right.” Eve fisted both hands and shook them while she scrunched up her face.  “I know that.  It’s just that with your new status and all—”

“No.”  Kara shook her head.  “Same job.  Same status.  Nothing has changed, all right?”

“All right...Kara.”  Eve’s shoulders jumped suddenly as she smiled again then turned to walk away.

“Oh, Eve?”  When the other woman turned back, Kara asked, “What did Miss Luthor say she wanted with me?”

Eve shrugged.  “She didn’t say.  She had me preparing a memo, and then she just asked that I send you in to see her.  Is everything all right?”

“Uhhh...of course.”  Kara nodded with a false sense of security, head down as she strode forward, pointing at Lena’s office.  “I’m just going to...um...that way.”  When she reached Lena’s office, Kara lingered outside the door fidgeting with the sleeves of her sweater for a moment before clearing her throat and when eye contact was made saying, “You wanted to see me, boss?”

“Hmmm.  Close the door,” Lena said with the slightest nod before returning to her screen.

“O-o-okay,” Kara replied, closing the door as she slunk into the office.  “What’s wrong?  Are you mad at me?  I mean are you more mad at me?  Madder?  More mad?  Huh.  Which is correct?”

Looking up again, Lena asked, “Don’t I pay you to write for a living?”

Kara casually slid into the chair across from Lena’s desk. “Uh...So, why did you want to see me?”

Eyes narrowing slightly, Lena closed her laptop most of the way so she could give Kara her full attention.  “I’m going to send you an email, but I wanted to speak to you about this personally first.”

Kara gave Lena one slow nod in response.

“I don’t expect you’re going to like it.”

“Are…”  Swallowing hard, Kara said, “Are you breaking up with me over email?”

“Kara, we’re not actually dating.”

“I know but are you?”

Leaning back in her chair, Lena studied Kara for several moments, expression placid.  Finally, with a slight narrowing of the eyes, Lena said, “Kara, tomorrow L-Corp will be making an announcement regarding a new acquisition in quarter one of 2018.  Members of the press will be invited to attend this announcement.  I’m asking that you cover this for Catco.”

Brows furrowed, Kara said, “I can’t.  I’ll be with you.”

“That won’t be a problem as I’ll also be in attendance.  As the CEO of L-Corp, it’s my responsibility to speak during such a—”

“Wait.”  Kara held up a single finger.  “Are you going to be making a speech?”

“It’s just a little announcement, really.  You see—”

“When you say an announcement with members of the press invited, do you mean a press conference?  Are you holding a press conference tomorrow and making a speech?”

“Well, I…”  Lena gave a half-shrug.  “That is a term one could use to describe such a—”

“Lena, no.”

“Kara—”

“No!”  Kara said, leaping to her feet.

Clearing her throat, Lena repeated, “Kara.”

“No, Lena, no!”

“Kara.” Lena’s voice dropped down two registers as her eyebrows rose, and she looked behind Kara.

Turning, Kara looked out at the main area where all of the reporters sat.  Conversation had ground to a standstill.  All eyes were trained on them.  People stood with phones in hands, calls interrupted by the intrigue of what was going on in the CEO’s office.

Slowly turning, Kara adjusted her glasses as she slumped back into her seat again.  “Sorry,” she whispered.

“Well, I suppose the good news is that the only reporters around for our first public fight are our own.  Now then—”

“You can’t hold a press conference.  If you want someone to shoot you, just ask Alex.  She loves shooting people, and at least she’ll avoid major organs.”

“Good that we can deal with this with humor.” Lena’s tone was a bit clipped, but her lips pursed and she nodded appreciatively.  “I’m sorry, Kara, but this isn’t negotiable.”

Arms crossed, Kara replied, “You’re right.  It’s not.”

Mirroring Kara’s body language, Lena said, “Are you dictating terms to me, Miss Danvers?”

“My job is keeping you alive.”

“Your job is reporting.”

“Not your obituary.”

There were several beats of silence before Lena relaxed her body and admitted, “All right, that was clever.”

“Thank you.”

“Still, this press conference is happening tomorrow.”

“Without you,” Kara added quickly.

There were several moments of silent staring and then Lena said, “I’m going.  It’s been days, and nothing has happened in regard to this supposed assassination attempt.  We don’t even know if Janković is in the city. I’m not spending the rest of my life hiding from my own shadow, and you can’t spend the rest of your life living with me, can you?”

Kara opened her mouth to answer, closed it again, her eyes shifted left before she looked at Lena again and said, “Maybe you haven’t seen Janković because you have good protection.  Don’t complain that you’re safe.  Don’t complain that I’m keeping you safe.”

“Kara, I’m not complaining, but we don’t know anything.  I’m not living my life in fear.  It’s no way to live.”

“You’d rather be dead?”

“If I spend my life hiding, I’m not living.”  Rising from her desk, Lena walked around and sat on the edge.  “You don’t let fear consume you.”

Kara looked away.  “It’s different for me.”

“That’s not true, and you know it.  We can all be hurt.  I’ve seen you hurt, and quite frankly that was probably the most frightened I’ve ever been in my life.”

Head turning quickly back to Lena, Kara said, “Just last month I pulled you out of a crashing plane, and flying terrifies you.”

“It doesn’t terrify me.  I just…” With an eye roll, Lena admitted, “I hate it.  That’s not the same thing.”

“But seeing me hurt scares you?”

“You’re supposed to be invulnerable.”

Standing, Kara crossed her arms again and stared down at Lena, a smile slowly dawning on her face.

“Why are you looking so smug, Miss Danvers?”

Kara took several steps around the desk, moving closer to Lena.  “You care.”

“What does that mean?”

“About me, you care.”

“Oh, don’t make this a thing, Kara.  All I said was—”

Placing one hand on Lena’s cheek, Kara said, “You have no idea how worried I was hearing your voice, knowing you were in that plane sending out a mayday.  You don’t know how scared I’ve been every time, Lena, every time I’ve almost lost you.  It just keeps getting worse.  This last time, you were ready to give up, but I wasn’t.  I’ll never be ready to give up on you.”  Kara nodded, but it was a bit more to herself, “I’m not giving up on us either.”

“I’m surrounded by optimists,” Lena said with a sigh.

Smiling, Kara leaned forward until her face was only inches from Lena’s.

“Kara?”

“Are people still watching us?”

Lena’s eyes flicked toward the main room and then back.  “Yes.  Doesn’t anyone work around here?”

“Lena, you’re newsworthy.”  Letting her forehead rest against Lena’s, Kara felt the woman tense and said, “I’m so sorry you don’t trust me.  That’s not an apology.  That’s regret.  I know I have to earn your trust back.  I hope you let me try.”

As Kara began to withdraw, Lena placed her hand on Kara’s that rested on her cheek.  Their gazes locked for several moments, and then Lena nodded.  It was vague but an olive branch at the same time.

When Lena released her hand, Kara stood upright and took a step back.  “All right.”

“To the press conference?” Lena asked.

“I’ll call Alex.  If she can be convinced it will be safe, and I don’t see how when your press conferences always explode—”

“Oh, they don’t always explode.”

“Lena, they **always** explode.  Anyway…”  Kara let out a big huff of air.  “If Alex is on board, then I’ll go with it.  Alex is the one that needs to be convinced though, all right?”

“All right.”

“And if Alex isn’t on board?”

Lena smiled.  “Let’s just call Alex.”

 

<><> 

 

_“I can’t believe you’re on board with this, Alex!”_

Alex held the phone away from her hear, rubbing at the ear with her other hand before putting the phone back and saying, “Kara, modulate your voice.  That was loud and shrill.”

_“Um, you did get the part where I said press conference, didn’t you?”_

Alex sighed.  “I did.”

_“People live to bomb those things or to shoot at her.  I mean, come on, Alex.  What are the odds Lena will live through this with a professional assassin after her?”_

“Kara, just relax.  I think there are some things we can do to keep this a bit safer.”

_“Yeah, like not have it!”_

“Again, volume control!” Alex shouted back.

 _“Sorry, sorry,”_ Kara said, her voice smaller. _“I’m just worried.  I’m worried about Lena.”_

“I know you are, Kar.  It will be fine.”

_“I don’t see how.”_

“You said this was a ‘by invitation only’ gig, right?”

_“Right.”_

Alex nodded.  “Okay, and L-Corp has that big area where they hold gala as such?  They just had their holiday party there.”

_“They do, but what does—?”_

“We’ll hold the press conference indoors.  It will keep her out of the public but still allow her to make her announcement.  We can set up metal detectors and x-ray machines at the entrances.  She really should be doing that anyway.  People do seem to try and kill her regularly.  How does that sound?”

 _“Alex, thank you.”_  Kara sighed, obvious relief in her voice.   _“Can you get this all set up by tomorrow?”_

“Can you get Lena to give us access to the room?”

_“Yes.”_

“You sound certain,” Alex noted.

_“We need this to keep her safe.  I’ll make it happen.”_

Smiling, Alex said, “That’s my girl.  So, have you spoken to Lena about your feelings?”

_“Um...not exactly, not in so many words.”_

“Does that mean you were a complete chicken and you avoided her?”

 _“No!”_  Kara cleared her throat.   _“Lena and I talked about the press conference, and she said she was scared when she saw me hurt.  I told her I was scared when I heard her mayday in that plane, and I wasn’t about to give up on her that day.  I also told her I wasn’t giving up on us, on her and me.”_

Eyebrows high, Alex said, “That’s interesting.  How’d she take that?”

_“She just called me an optimist, but when I told her I wanted to earn her trust back, she nodded.  A nod is good, right?”_

“I guess.  That’s like a yes.  Did it feel like a yes?”

There were several moments of silence and then Kara said, _“It felt positive.  People were watching us, so she let me closer than she usually does when we’re at home, but the look in her eyes was sincere.  It felt...good.  It felt like Lena.  I miss her.  I want to fix this.”_

“Be yourself, Kara.  That girl loves you.  She just has questions right now.  Just be yourself, and give her time to realize the person you’ve been around her has always been you.  It will be all right.”

_“Thanks, Alex.  I’m going to go and talk to Lena about setting up the indoor press conference.  Should I have her call you?”_

“Yeah, have her contact me about security.  I’ll start setting up things here.  I love you, Kar.”

_“Love you too.  Later.”_

“Bye.”  Disconnecting, Alex stuck her phone into her pocket and turned to one of the other agents.  “Vasquez, we need to set up a security detail with x-ray machines and metal detectors over at L-Corp tomorrow.  Can you get me two teams and the necessary equipment?  I’ll call Lena Luthor and get the details on the time and length of the operation.”

Turning her chair to look at Alex, Vasquez said, “Tell me it’s not a press conference.”

“I could, but I’d be lying.”

“Ma’am no offense, but is that woman suicidal?”

Alex sighed.  “It’s possible.  Just get the security detail requisition processed, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.”  Vasquez turned back in her chair and began typing up the order, but she grumbled under her breath, “That woman doesn’t need a security detail.  She needs a therapist.”

Alex raised her eyebrows but didn’t disagree.

 

<><> 

 

The L-Corp press conference was scheduled for 10:00 AM.  There were only two entrances, and anyone entering had to walk through a metal detector.  All equipment was x-rayed.  This was limited to members of the press and key individuals from L-Corp and BioNovus Pharmaceuticals, the newest acquisition of L-Corp.  

At 9:55, Alex had just finished her final check-in as she walked behind the curtain set up on the dais.  Kara, Lena, and Sam were all present in varying levels of anxiety.  Kara was a ball of nervous energy, marching up and down, her arms flapping up just to land a bit heavily on her legs with a resounding slap even as she sighed.  Lena was flipping through cue cards and flinching noticeably each time Kara stomped, slapped, and sighed.  The CEO’s jaw was tight, and her attention was obviously split.  Leaning back on a table, eyes closed, Sam looked tired.

“Hey, you okay?” Alex asked as she gently squeezed Sam’s forearm.

Opening her eyes and smiling, Sam nodded.  “Lots to do, and I don’t think I’m sleeping as well as I could be.  I mean I sleep, just not...you know.”

Alex gave a little nod, her face scrunching up in concern.  “Ruby’s okay though, right?”

“Oh, sure.”  Sam waved casually.  “I mean, she’s driving me nuts, so that’s right on schedule.  Kids will do that to you.  You get that.”

“I plan to,” Alex replied with a gentle smile.  “If you ever need babysitting...cool aunt, remember.”

Sam’s smile grew.  “You’ll live to regret that offer.  She will pick you apart about everything you know about Supergirl.”

“I look forward to it.  You know…” Looking away, Alex considered for a moment before looking at Sam again, “What would you think about me arranging an introduction?”

“An introduction?”

“For Ruby with Supergirl.”

“Ah…”  Mouth agape, Sam blinked wordlessly.  “You can do that?  I know you said you worked with her, but you can really do that?  She’d do that for you?  Are you actually friendly with her?”

“Sam…” Reaching out again, Alex squeezed Sam’s forearm.  “I have her on speed dial.  Yeah, we’re close.  I don’t know that I’d use the word friends to describe our relationship, but yeah, we’re close.  So, you’d be cool if I set it up?”

“Ruby would kill me if I said no, and she found out.”

“Well, we can’t have that.  We like having you around.”

“Thanks.”  Sam laughed slightly with relief.  “Plus, maybe if she meets Supergirl she’ll lay off me about—”

There was noise from the other side of the curtain, someone doing a sound check as they did the final tests on the mics.

“Ah, that’s my cue,” Sam said.  “You’ll let me know about the Supergirl thing?”

“Definitely,” Alex replied.  “You’ll let me know about babysitting?”

“That’s a yes.  She’s yours.  Consider her practice for your future rebellious teenagers.  You can even keep her overnight if you want.”  Sam walked away toward the slit in the curtain that would lead her to the front of the stage.

“Oh, okay.  Let me just check with Maggie.  I’ll call you.”  As Sam walked away, Alex joined Lena and Kara.  “How are you two doing?”

“Fine,” Lena said.

“I’m nervous.  This is a bad idea,” Kara replied.

Looking at Alex, Lena raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

“Kara, security is tight.  You can relax,” Alex assured.

“That’s not going to happen.  I’m not going to relax, be happy about this, be calm, smile, any of that.  I think this is a bad idea.”

“Has she been like this all morning?” Alex asked Lena.

“Yes, it’s been a joy.  After her morning omelet, she was so busy complaining about the press conference that she only had three doughnuts.  It was practically a hunger strike.”

“I wasn’t complaining.  I’m worried, and my appetite is off because I’m worried.”

“A six egg omelet and three doughnuts is an off appetite?”  Lena asked, but when Alex and Kara just stared, she nodded.  “Okay, that’s true.  I don’t think you’ve even had a snack since then.”

“I’m worried!”

As Sam’s voice came through to them, Lena nodded at Kara.  “You need to get out there and do your job.  Catco needs this piece.”

“My job is keeping you safe.”

“Right now that’s my job,” Alex said.  “Go be a reporter.”

“Fine.”  Her hands on Lena’s shoulders, Kara said, “I’ll be right out there.  Don’t do anything...unnecessary.”

“I thought you were going to say stupid.”

“No.”  Kara smiled. “You’d toss me out of here, and Catco would lose their access.  My boss would have my butt.  Just be safe.”

“It’s just a press conference, Kara.”

“That’s what worries me.”  Hugging Lena quickly, Kara left to the left side of the curtain and then headed around front to where other reporters were gathered.

“Are you nervous?” Alex asked.

“No.  I’ve been in the public light since I was four.  This is nothing.”

“I just wanted to assure you that your security is all set.  You don’t have to be scared.”

“You mean Janković?”

Alex nodded.

“He’s not in National City.”

Brows furrowing, Alex asked, “How can you be certain?”

“Because, Agent Danvers, I’ve hired some very good people to investigate his whereabouts.  They can confirm he was in Metropolis, though no one is certain how he got there.  That’s still a mystery.  However, every avenue of exit has been exhaustively searched, and he hasn’t left.  Every entrance into National City has been covered, and he hasn’t entered.  My sources believe he’s holed up somewhere in Metropolis, and they’ll find him.”

“How…”  Alex swallowed hard.  “How can you be sure?  If you don’t know how he got in, how can you be sure he won’t get out?”

“I’m not an idiot.  As suggested, I’m keeping a low profile, and I’m keeping your sister close.  If by some miracle Janković manages to slip by all of my resources, I have my very own superhero on standby.  I’m playing it safe.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Eyes narrowing, Alex studied Lena’s overly calm expression.  “What aren’t you telling me?  You’re holding something back.  What did you do?”

“It’s…” Lena shrugged.  “...minor.”

“Me minor or you minor?”

“This whole protective custody thing is an incredible inconvenience.  I need to get back to my old life, so I put a bounty on Janković’s head of $2.5 million.”

Alex gasped.  “You did what?”

“Oh, relax, Agent Danvers.  He’s to be taken alive.  I want to know who put the bounty on me.  As the DEO hasn’t been able to discover that yet, I think a more direct route might be in order, don’t you?”

“You put a bounty on...How do you even know how to do that?”

Lena shrugged.  “I’m a Luthor.  Just because I don’t keep the sorts of associates my brother did doesn’t mean I can’t access them.  Money and power attract a certain element of people.  Normally, that means my life is in danger.  At times like this, I’ll use that money and power to my advantage.”

“Does Kara know about this?”

“Does Supergirl know I’ve put a bounty on someone’s head, even on a hitman’s head?”  Lena lifted a brow.  “I left that detail out of our most recent heart-to-heart.  Somehow I don’t think she’d approve.  What do you think?”

“I think I told you we’d handle this.”

“That was over a week ago, Agent Danvers.  I’m still playing by your rules, no private security.  I’m merely going to work every day with my significant other.  I just like to hedge my bets.  It’s a Luthor thing.”

Alex sighed.  “I wish you had told me.”

“I just did.”

“Yeah, but—”

Lena held up her hand.  “Sam’s introducing me.  Why don’t we bicker later?  I have an opening in my schedule around 2:15 if you’re available.”

Hands on her hips, Alex rocked back and forth.  “I’ll check my schedule and get back to you.”

“Lovely.  Until later, Agent Danvers.”

Alex grumbled as she watched Lena make her way through the opening in the curtain, then clicked on her coms, “Alpha Team, check in.”

_“Alpha Team, all clear.”_

Alex nodded.  “Omega Team, check in.”

_“Omega Team, all clear.”_

“Okay people, Miss Luthor is taking the stage.  I want all eyes and ears on high alert.  Keep on your sections.  These next fifteen minutes are key.  We’re on yellow alert until I give the all clear.  If anyone sees or hears anything suspicious, call it in.”  Going around to the right side of the stage, Alex looked out along the crowd and watched as she listened to Lena’s speech.

“...and so, with our latest merger with BioNovus Pharmaceuticals, L-Corp will be making a step forward, blending L-Corp’s engineering advances with some of the best pharmaceutical designs this century will see.  We want to move beyond the concepts of drug and durable medical equipment, crossing the realm from the insulin pump and into the artificial pancreas.  We believe this is the team that can make this, and other advances of this nature, happen.”

As Lena looked to her left, Sam stepped up to the podium again.  “Miss Luthor has a few minutes for questions from the press.  At this time, please limit yourselves to one questions per news agency.  Additional questions can be sent to the PR Department for review.”

Smiling, Lena nodded at Sam who placed a reassuring hand on the CEO’s shoulder.

Hands went up within the press area, and Sam pointed at one of the reporters and said, “The Tribune.”

“Thank you, Miss Arias.”  The man smiled.  “Miss Luthor, congratulations on the acquisition.  You mentioned the artificial pancreas.  Does L-Corp have any idea on when they’ll release any new designs based on this acquisition?”

“Phil.”  Lena smiled.  “You’ve been in this business long enough to know how this works. Right now we’ve just finalized the sale.  Until 2018, the two businesses will continue to run independently.  Sometime in the first quarter, we’ll begin to merge assets.  As to the technology side.”  Lena chuckled.  “Well, I’m as eager to get my hands on that as anyone, but unfortunately, I can’t give you any updates yet.  As soon as I have good news to share, and there will be good news, I’ll let you know.”

Pointing at another reporter, Sam said, “The Chronicle.”

“Thanks, Miss Arias,” this reporter said.  “Miss Luthor, BioNovus has been struggling financially for some time, so a purchase by L-Corp is sure to be welcome news to employees and investors alike assuming there aren’t layoffs planned.  Can you speak to that?”

“Certainly, Janet,” Lena said.  “L-Corp will evaluate the possibility of certain key employee jobs being duplicated in the acquisition.  That was discussed with the BioNovus board when the purchase was made.  At this time, there has been no decision made regarding anyone’s role being eliminated, and there is no expectation of layoffs on any grand scale.  I can’t promise anything as a full evaluation will need to be done.  However, so long as BioNovus is being properly staffed at this time, L-Corp expects to maintain that staffing post-purchase.”

As Lena pulled back, Sam eyed the reporters again and said, “Catco.”

Nodding, and holding up a finger, the reporter said, “Thanks, Sa...um...Miss Arias.  Ahem.  Miss Luthor, one of BioNovus’ most revolutionary drugs is RV17-H9H.  It was an offshoot of a cancer therapy which was proven unsuccessful, but it showed immediate success in quick and near painless removal of the physical addiction symptoms of several illegal drugs.  Though heralded by law enforcement and many in the medical community as miraculous, BioNovus hasn’t been able to make back the money they spent in the development of the drug.  To quote one source, ‘Junkies are only good customers of their dealers.’  Does L-Corp intend to continue the drug or scrap it as seems would be the best financial decision?”

Cocking an eyebrow as she crossed her arms, Lena said, “Why, Miss Danvers, not letting me off easy on this one, are you?”

Crossing her arms in return, Kara said, “No reason I would is there, Miss Luthor?”

With a slight smile, Lena said, “Hard-hitting journalism, that’s a bit of a surprise from Catco, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think so.  Catco has been making a name for itself with investigative journalism in the past year or two.  Plus,” Kara smiled back, “we’re under new management.”

“Very good, Miss Danvers,” Lena said, her smile growing.  “RV17-H9H, as the reporter from Catco pointed out, is a wonder drug though not a financially wonderful one.  However, not every profit is shown in a bar graph no matter what my CFO tells me.”

Arms crossed, but with a smile on her face, Sam shook her head.

Lena continued, “A healthy and safe National City makes for a better L-Corp.  That ROI will pay us back over time.  We’ll increase health and reduce crime.  Our tourist rates will increase.  Everything will flourish.”

“So, you’ll be continuing the drug,” Kara said.  “That’s a yes.”

Lena smiled.  “That’s a yes, Miss Danvers.  We’ll be continuing RV17-H9H.”

Sam stepped up and looked out at the group of reporters.

Brows furrowed, Kara heard an odd noise, a scraping of metal on metal.  She turned her head, trying to shut out the voice of the reporter around her asking a question.  The noise continued, something sliding into place, and a click.

Tapping her earpiece, she quietly said, “Alex, it’s Kara.  I heard something.”

_“What did you hear?”_

“I...I’m not sure.  It was something metallic and familiar.  I’m not sure, though.”

_“Kara, you need to give me more to go on.”_

Kara nodded.  “I know.  Hold on.  I’m going to get on the stage and see if I can take a look around.”  Hands on the platform, she easily pulled herself up onto the stage and stood there on the corner, getting a better look at the crowd.  She scanned the people in attendance.  They were L-Corp employees, BioNovus employees, reporters, caterers, cleaning staff, but no errant stragglers or picketers as were at outdoor L-Corp events.  It was just people who should—

_“You see anything, Kara?”_

“No.  I mean, I see people, but nothing odd.”  Kara turned her head to see Lena watching her.  She gave a small wave.  “I look awkward, right?”

_“Are you sure it wasn’t just your imagination?”_

“Maybe, but I just—”

There was another sound, something metal sliding the length of something else, a hollow noise, and then a clack.

“Alex, that was a bullet being chambered.”  Kara tensed everywhere trying to keep her voice down.

_“Are you sure?”_

“How long have I known you?”

 _“Okay, fair answer.  Maybe it was one of our guys.  Alpha team, Omega team, if anyone just chambered a bullet, respond now.”_  There was radio silence.   _“Fuck.”_

“She has to get off the stage now,” Kara said looking out at the crowd as she forced her body to make its way toward Lena at a human’s pace.

 _“Okay but...This doesn’t make any sense,”_ Alex said as she made her way toward Lena from the other side of the stage.

“Someone’s trying to kill Lena at a press conference?”  Kara sighed as she continued to scan the crowd.  “Makes perfect sense to me.  I told her this thing was just begging for...mop!”

_“Mop?”_

Pointing, Kara stopped halfway to Lena and stood with her arm outstretched and again yelled, “Mop!”

Looking where her sister pointed, Alex’s eyes widened.   _“Alpha team, section six, gun is disguised as a mop.  Shooter is disguised as cleaning crew!”_  As she spoke, Alex was already on the move toward Lena.

From the opposite side, Kara was moving in.

Things went down something like this.  With Kara and Alex both yelling, people were looking around.  Lena stepped back from the podium, and Sam stepped forward partway in front of Lena.  Kara and Alex both took off.  The shot rang out.  Kara got to the center of the stage first, tackling Lena and landing on top of her.  Alex was about two seconds behind, and she tackled Sam with much less grace.  Security, in the way of the DEO, had the shooter down seconds later.  People were yelling and ducking as no one was sure what exactly was going on, just that yet another L-Corp press conference was ending in near disaster, and the four ladies beat a hasty retreat off stage through the split in the center of the curtain.

“Are you hurt?” Kara asked Lena immediately giving her a quick appraisal.

“I’m fine.  What was that?”

“That was what happens every time you hold a press conference, Lena, every time!”

“Guys, Alex is hurt,” Sam said, her arm around Alex’s waist as she held on supporting the struggling agent.

“What? No, Alex, no!”  Next to her sister, Kara looked her over for bleeding.  “Are you hit?  Were you shot?”

Grimacing, Alex shook her head and then winced.  “No I...ugh.  I smashed my shoulder into something, maybe the podium.  I don’t know.  It felt like a steel girder.  I think it’s dislocated.  It hurts like hell.”

Looking over her glasses, Kara x-rayed the shoulder and nodded.  “Yeah, you dislocated it.”

“How can you be sure?” Sam asked.

“Uh...she has a trick shoulder,” Kara answered.  “I’ve seen this before.  Alex, what can we do?”

“Kara, we need to put it back in.  Please, it really hurts.  Can you do it?”

“I...I don’t want to hurt you more.  Alex, I’m not always gentle.  I don’t know what to do.”

“I do.”  Lena offered.  “Lay her down.  Put the bad arm across her body when you do it.”

They crossed Alex’s arm across her body, laying her on the floor.  Her face screwed up in obvious pain even as they laid her down gently.  Her breathing was labored, and the shoulder sat back at a funny angle.

Lena put a hand on Alex’s shoulder, then looked back at Kara.  “Um...this trick shoulder she has, you don’t think she broke anything do you?”

“Definitely not,” Kara assured.

Lena nodded.

“Maybe we should get her to a professional, get her x-rayed or something,” Sam suggested.

“Just do it already.  This really hurts,” Alex said.

“It’s going to hurt more before it feels better,” Lena said.  “I’m sorry, Alex.”

Alex nodded.

Racing around the back of the curtain, Maggie said, “What the fuck happened?  I can hear Alex on coms but...Alex?”

“I’m okay.  I’m okay, babe,” Alex said between struggling breaths.  She reached up the hand on her good arm, and Maggie fell to her knees and took it.

Sitting on the floor on Alex’s bad side, Lena pulled off one of her heels.  She stuck her foot in the area of Alex’s rib cage where it meets the underarm.  Taking Alex’s wrist in both her hands, she said, “Ready?”

“Just do it.”

Lena nodded, then leaned back so her weight pulled the arm down toward her body.  The shoulder was eased back into the joint.  There was a popping noise followed by a string of profanities by Alex.

Eyebrows high and looking over her glasses again, Kara said, “That did it.”

Finally sighing with some relief, Alex said, “Oh, God, thank you.”

Nodding, Lena put her shoe back on and allowed Kara to heft her to her feet again effortlessly.  “Well, I’m no doctor, Agent Danvers, but a dislocated shoulder takes some time to heal.  I think you’ll be out of action for a while.”

“I’ll be fine.  I’ll be…” Alex winced, grabbing her bad arm with her good one as she sat up.

“Babe, you need a doctor,” Maggie said.

“I am a doctor.  I need an ice pack, sling, and some anti-inflammatories.  I’ll be fine.” Alex assured.  “Anyway, we’ve got to deal with the situation out there.”

“Did they get the shooter?” Kara asked.

“Was it Janković?” Lena wanted to know.

“I...hold on.  Alpha and Omega teams, I need a status on the shooter stat.”

_“Ma’am, shooter has been captured.  The perimeter is being secured.  We’re awaiting further orders.”_

“Is it Janković!?” Lena demanded.

Alex gave her one stern nod. “I need a physical description of the shooter.”

_“Ma’am, shooter is white male in his late teens, long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and brown eyes.  He’s approximately 5’8” and 150 pounds.  He has no tattoos or marks visible at this time.  No ID on him, and he has not yet supplied a name.  We’re running him through fingerprinting and facial recognition.”_

“That’s all for now.  Hand him over to the NCPD for questioning.”  Clicking off her coms, Alex looked back at Lena.  “It’s not Janković.”

“Who’s Janković?” Sam asked.  “What’s going on?”

“We’re going home,” Kara said.  “Come on, Lena.”

“We’re going back to work.  Maggie, your people can find us at Catco when they need to take our statements.”

“Lena, no!” Kara grabbed the other woman’s hand.  “Someone just tried to kill you, a different someone from the someone that is trying to kill you.  You need to get someplace safe.  We’re going home.”

“We’re going back to work.  I have a business to run.”

“I...I...argh!  What is wrong with you?  You were almost murdered.  Call out from work.”

With a slight chuckle, Lena replied, “Kara, darling, I’m a Luthor.  I don’t get to call out almost murdered.  I only get to call out murdered.  Let’s go.”

When Lena tried to step away, Kara proved to be an immovable force.  “Lena, just...no.  I’m putting my foot down.  No.  There’s Janković and now this guy.  There’s probably a whole line of people with tickets just waiting to kill you, queued up like a homicidal pastry counter...and now I’m kind of hungry.  No.  The point is, you need to go someplace safe.  You need to go home with me.”

Eyebrows raised, Lena said, “I’m going to work.  I’m not running from this.  If I ran from every bad thing in my life, I’d spend my whole life running.  You do what you want, Kara, but I’m going to work.”  Pulling back her hand, Lena turned and walked away.

“What’s going on?” Sam asked.  “Who’s Janković?  Why are they fighting?  I’m so confused.”

As agents come along one side of the stage behind the curtain, Alex rose and said, “Come with me, Sam.  I can fill you in a little bit.  I think I need to get my arm in a sling.”

As Maggie, Sam, and Alex went in one direction, Kara hurried off in another and stepped in front of Lena, blocking her exit.

“Kara, please move.”

“No.  I can’t lose you.”

Lena sighed.  “Don’t be dramatic.  I’m just going to work.”

Pulling off her glasses, Kara wiped away tears that had begun to collect in her eyes.  “Lena, please just stop and listen to me for just a minute.  All I’m asking for is a minute here, okay?”

Brows furrowed, Lena nodded.

Putting her glasses back into place, Kara said, “Thank you.  You were probably two seconds away from dying today.  If I hadn’t been here trying to find Janković, you’d probably be dead.  Doesn’t that frighten you?”

“Well, it’s not ideal,” Lena admitted.

“It terrifies me.  I can’t lose you.”

“Kara, I’m fine.”

“You’re not listening to me.  I can’t lose you.  Maybe I’m selfish, but I need you in my life.  Me, plain old Kara Danvers, needs Lena Luthor in her life.  I’ve lost so much, Lena.  I’ve lost…” Kara’s voice croaked out the next word, “everything.  I can’t lose you too.  I can’t lose you because of some hitman, some crazy who is pro or anti-alien, or because you walk away from me.  I can carry a space station on my shoulders.  I can fight giant aliens.  I can fly and catch planes and space shuttles with my bare hands.  But you, Lena, I can’t...I can’t lose...I...I just...Lena, please.”

Taking Kara by the shoulders, Lena rubbed her hands up and down Kara’s upper arms.  “I’ll work from home for the rest of the day.  We can both work from home for the rest of the day.  How does that sound?”

“Please?”

“It’s going to be all right.”

“Is it?”

Nodding once, Lena stepped forward and leaned against Kara, still holding her by the upper arms.  In the way of hugs, it was stiff, and Kara’s return hug was just as awkward as she couldn’t wrap her arms around the other woman.  Several seconds later, they were still pressed together in their odd embrace when people approached.

“Ahem.” Maggie cleared her throat smiling uncomfortably when Kara and Lena stepped apart.  “We’re sorry about this, but we got an ID on the shooter.  I wanted to share it with you in case maybe you’d had some threats you hadn’t reported to the NCPD.  I asked Sam here, and she couldn’t confirm anything.”

Arms folded across her chest and face looking dark and fierce, Sam scowled.

“Lena?” Kara asked.

Lena shook her head.  “L-Corp has a policy to report any threats immediately.  Believe it or not, our insurance depends on it.”

“People still insure you?” Maggie asked.

“Quite amusing, Detective,” Lena replied.  “Perhaps this is a Catco matter?  Could it be related to an article that has been released lately?  As Kara said, the publication has changed to more investigative journalism of late.  I’m sure that’s made a number of enemies.”

“You folks do any pieces on the drug war?”  Maggie asked.

“You don’t read Catco?” Lena quipped a brow.

“I’ll renew my subscription,” Maggie replied.  “So, anything dealing with drugs in the city?”

“Not in a few months,” Kara said.  “We might have some things in the works, but I can’t think of anything that would have elicited this kind of response.  So, who was this guy?”

Flipping open her notebook, Maggie said, “Nate Simmons, local kids runs with the East Street Tigers.  He’s low level, busted a few times and booked for dealing to minors.  You know, outside parks, schools, playgrounds.  He’s sixteen, so he’s still a minor, and he’s never been found with enough on him for a major charge, and his lawyers have always copped him down to a charge of holding instead of dealing.  Taking you out though, Luthor, that would be big time.”

“Why would he go after me?” Lena asked.  “I’ve made many contributions to politicians with anti-drug platforms over the years, and I’ve put money into rehab centers, but why now.  I’m hardly an activist.”

“RV17-H9H,” Kara said.  When all gazes fell on her, she added, “I didn’t hear...ahem...the shooter didn’t do anything thing until after I asked the question on RV17-H9H.  Until Lena said that L-Corp would be continuing the drug that was going to cut into illegal drug profiting, this guy didn’t try to kill Lena.  That’s why.”

“Drug dealers,” Sam inhaled deeply.  “Someone should put an end to them.”

“We try believe me.  There’s only so much the NCPD can do.  So, no threats about this, Lena?”

“None, Detective, I promise.  This is one of those surprise assassination attempts.  It’s like a birthday but with bullets instead of balloons.”

Maggie chuckled.  “Awesome sense of humor.  What about you, Sam?  You’re sure that no one else in L-Corp…?”  Looking around, Sam was nowhere to be found.  “Where’d she go?”

“Work, I imagine.  If you don’t have any other questions, Kara and I will be working from home for the rest of the day.  Are we done here?”

“Yeah, for now, Miss Luthor.  I know how to get in touch with you.  Don’t you two go leaving town.  I’ve got my eye on you.”

“Oh, we won’t, Maggie.  We’ll stay local.”

“Kara, she’s kidding, darling.”  Holding out her hand, Lena said, “Ready to go home?”

Smiling, Kara took Lena’s hand and asked, “Can I get an exclusive on the shooting?”

Eyes narrowed, Lena half-breathed the word, “Reporters.”

Joining the trio with her arm in a sling and an ice pack under her shirt, Alex held a small plastic bag in the hand on her good side.  “We retrieved the slug.”

“That’s my evidence,” Maggie said reaching for the slug.

Alex pulled it back.  “It’s my evidence.”

“Hey, we’ll need that to charge this guy with attempted murder.  We push hard enough, and maybe he rolls on a higher up.  This guy could be key, and that piece of evidence is key.”  Maggie held out her hand.

Looking around, Alex lowered her voice.  “I’ll get it to you, but I need the lab to check it for particulates first.  This was just lying on the stage behind the podium.  It hit something solid.”

“Like what?” Maggie asked.

Alex’s eyes flicked over to Kara and back again.  “Just let me make sure it doesn’t have any fiber in it that can be traced back to...anyone in particular.  Then the FBI will turn it over to the NCPD.  We’ll make sure the chain of command is maintained.”

“Fine, but you keep the paperwork in line, Alex.  I don’t want this guy slipping away because something wasn’t filled out right.”

“Relax, babe; I’m in the FBI.”

With an eye roll, Maggie said, “No you’re not.”

“Fine.”  Alex glowered.  “I still know how to fill out paperwork.”

Brows furrowed as Lena watched Kara twist and turn examining herself, Lena asked, “What are you doing?”

“I really like this jacket.  Is there a hole in it?  Do you see a hole in it anywhere?”

“You’re worried about your jacket?  Why?”

“Someone shot me, Lena.  They were trying to shoot you, and they shot me.  Do you know how many clothes I go through?  Between potstickers, pizza, ice cream, and duplicate clothing, I can barely afford rent.  I really liked this jacket too.”  Lifting her arm, Kara pulled the side of her jacket forward as she examined it.

“Come on.”  Holding out her hand, Lena waited until Kara took it.  “How about we go home and I buy you some lunch?”

“Potstickers?” Kara asked enthusiastically.

“The Kara Danvers special,” Lena replied.  “We can even replace your jacket.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.  That’s just part of my job.”

“Kara, property damaged in the process of saving my life is replaced.  It’s a company policy.”

“It is?”

Lena nodded.  “I replaced Jimmy’s shirt.”

“Oh, well, if you replaced James’…” Kara frowned.  “Why do you call him Jimmy?”

“That’s his name, isn’t it?”

Kara nodded.  “Well, yeah but…”

“Hey, do you want to get ice cream on the way home?  Something happened to the pints we had in the freezer.”

“I think they were going to expire,” Kara said.

“My hero.  So, ice cream?”

“And doughnuts?”

“And doughnuts,” Lena agreed pulling Kara’s hand.  “Come on.”

“Lena, the press is that way.  We should go the other way.”

“I know,” Lena replied, squeezing Kara’s hand and taking several steps causing Kara to stumble after her and fall into step alongside.  “Reporters.”

Taking a stuttering breath, Kara asked, “This is going to be super public.  Are you sure?”

“Mmmm,” Lena’s response was a hum along her lips, a slightly trilling up in the middle that evened out again.  “Do you want crullers too?”

“Crullers?”  Her head leaning to the side as her shoulder knocked into Lena’s, Kara smiled as they stepped past the protection of the curtain and flashes and questions were fired in their direction.  “You’re my favorite.”


	13. When it Reigns it Pours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...this is a long chapter. Grab a snack, hydrate, and maybe even stretch out. Don't start this a few minutes before you have to run out the door unless you're good with leaving a dangling chapter behind you (Gasp! Who does that?). Maybe it should have been two chapters. When revising and editing, I really wished it had been two chapters, but it felt like one chapter. Okay, enough posing. They're turning a corner here folks. Let's hope there are clearer skies ahead. What could possibly go wrong?
> 
> Gasp! She said it!

Leaning back on the couch in pajamas, Lena flipped through the channels.  Kara sat down on the other corner of the couch.  Looking at the bowl in the other woman’s hand, Lena raised a brow and said, “Really?”

“What?”

“Popcorn?  Is that what you were doing while I got changed?”

“I did the dishes too.”

With a head shake, Lena said, “We just finished dinner, Kara, and you ate a huge dessert.  You can’t possibly be hungry still.”

“Uh…”  Sliding the bowl into the middle of the couch, Kara smiled.  “I made enough to share.”

“Liar,” Lena said with a smile.

Kara winced, withdrawing the bowl.

“Kara, I—”

Shaking her head, Kara ran her fingers through the bowl of popcorn, pulling out a few pieces but dropping them back inside, uneaten.

“Kara, please, that was supposed to be a joke.  I really am sorry.  I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

With a loud exhalation, Kara said, “Is it a good sign if you can make a joke about it?”

Reaching out, Lena said, “Come here.”

Lifting her head, Kara held out the popcorn bowl.  “Do you want some?”

“No, I’m actually quite full.  I want you to come over here.  Come on.”

“You want me to sit next to you?” Kara asked, her brows furrowed tightly together.

“We always used to sit together and watch TV.  You don’t have to.  Do what you want, but you look like you could use...something.  There was a time when after you’d had a long day, being held was that something.  Maybe I’m just not that someone anymore.”

“No, you are,” Kara said putting the popcorn on the table as she moved closer.  “You are.  I’m just surprised you want to—”

“Come here, Kara.”

Sliding under Lena’s arm, Kara rested her head on her friend’s shoulder and relaxed immediately.  

“Is this all right?”  Lena asked.

“It is.  It’s nice.”  

Lena combed her fingers through blonde hair, feeling her friend relax even further under the touch.  “I’ve missed you, Kara.”

“But I’m right here.”

“Then I’ve missed us.”

“Me too.  Do you still want that...us?”

There was a long pause as Lena seemed to arrange her thoughts.  “I do.  Kara Danvers isn’t who I thought she was, and now I have to get to know this whole new person and see if she’s someone I want an ‘us’ with.  Do you understand that?”

“Maybe you’ll like Kara Zor-El even better than Kara Danvers.”

“Kara,” Lena said with a note of disapproval.  “I couldn’t possibly like anyone more than Kara Danvers.  She’s my favorite.”

“You’re my favorite, Lena,” Kara replied as she looked up into green eyes.  “You think maybe you can like Kara Zor-El just as much?”

With another head scritch, Lena replied, “I hope so.  How patient are you willing to be?”

“I’m here until you kick me out.”

“Or until someone kills me.”

Kara scrunched up her face.  “Not on my watch.  I am virtually indestructible.  I hope I proved to you today I mean to stand between you and any harm that comes your way.”

“I think you proved it more than today.  You’ve been throwing yourself between me and harm since the day we met, haven’t you?”

Kara snuggled up further into Lena.  “You keep making yourself a target.  Someone has to defend you.  I’ve volunteered.”

“Why?”

“What?”  Kara looked up again, locking gazes with Lena.

“Why do you keep working so hard to keep me alive?”

“I protect everyone.  I’m Supergirl.”

“I know that.  This feels personal.  It has for a long time.  Tell me why.”

“I…”  Kara swallowed hard.  “I can’t lose you.”

“That’s what you said earlier today.  You said you lost so much, everything, but you can’t lose me.  Now tell me what that means.”

Licking her lips, Kara said, “Krypton.”

Lena blinked once, slowly, then gently combed her fingers through Kara’s hair.  “That is everything.  That’s more than anyone else has lost.  You have a new family here, though.  I’m not diminishing your loss.  I’d never do that.  I only mean, you have so many people who love you, Kara.  In that grand scheme of those friends and family, you don’t need—”

“I need you!” Kara grabbed Lena’s shoulder as she stared intently.  “I know it was selfish, Lena, but you knew me, just Kara.  You saw just me.  You knew Supergirl too, but she was someone else.  You’re the only friend I had who only knew me.  I was so scared that if you knew who I was, Kara Zor-El, that you wouldn’t see me the same anymore.”

“Because I was a Luthor?  Because you thought I would care that you were an alien?  Because—?”

“Because you liked Kara better, better than Supergirl.”

“But you are Supergirl.”  Lena shook her head.  “Kara, that makes no sense.”

“It does.  Just hear me out.” Kara relaxed her grip, tracing a random pattern on Lena’s arm as she spoke.  “Everyone knows both of us.  Everyone likes Supergirl better, puts her first.  Even Winn, the only person I chose to tell, he’s this big superhero groupie.  He’s my friend, but he loves Supergirl.  Do you get it?”

“No.”

“Okay, if a bomb were about to go off, and you could only save Kara or Supergirl—”

“You are Supergirl.”

Kara sighed.  “Work with me on this Lena.  Pretend I’m not.  There’s a bomb.  There’s Kryptonite, okay?  I’m not Supergirl?  We good?”

Lena nodded.

“Thank you.  Now, you can either save Kara or Supergirl.  Who do you save?”

Opening her mouth, Lena took a quick breath, and her eyes widened.

“Oh, you’d save Supergirl?  That’s okay because—”

“No, Kara.”  Shaking her head, Lena ran her hand along Kara’s cheek.  “I’d save you.  I’d save Kara.  That’s not the problem.”

“What’s wrong?”

Eyes closed, Lena swallowed before she met Kara’s gaze again.  “I had to make this choice before with Jack, and I saved Supergirl.”

“Oh, Rao.  Lena, I’m so sorry I asked you this, and I’m sorry about Jack.”

“It was the right thing to do.  He needed to be stopped.”  Pushing some of Kara’s hair behind the blonde’s ear, Lena said, “Jack was my past.  You’re...You’re here now.”

“I am.” Kara pushed up, so her face was level with Lena’s.  “Lena I—”

“You should eat your popcorn.”

“I’m not hungry...for popcorn.”

Lena’s laugh was quiet and nervous.  “I find that hard to believe, Miss Danvers.”

“All right, I’m a little bit hungry for popcorn, but it will wait.  We’re finally talking.  I feel like I’ve been starving for this conversation.  I want to talk about us.”

“Us?”

“Us.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.”  Running a thumb along Lena’s jaw, Kara said, “Lena, do you want an us?”

“Kara, your friendship is incredibly important to me.  I want—”

“I don’t want your friendship.”

“...what?”

“Oh, Rao.”  Eyes closed briefly, Kara shook her head.  “Of course, I want your friendship.  I don’t want **just** your friendship.  Lena, do you want to be just my friend?”

“Kara, I…” Lena’s eyes flicked away for a moment, and her brows furrowed.

“What’s wrong?” Kara tried to turn in Lena’s arms.

Placing a hand on Kara’s cheek, Lena said, “Kara, you’re important to me.  I think maybe people are right, and we’ve been kidding ourselves.  Maybe we’ve been more than just friends for a while, but I’m hurt.”

“I get that.  I want to move beyond that.  Do you?  Can you?”

“I want to.  I hope we can.”

“If we both want to, I know we…” When Lena’s gaze flicked away for a moment again, Kara asked, “Are you trying to distract me?”

“I thought you wanted to talk and be held,” Lena said as she ran her hands through, Kara’s hair.

“I do but…” Eyes closed, Kara relaxed into the touch until words from the television drifted over to her.  Eyes flashing open, she turned and said, “Reign!”

“Kara, no!”

Kara was on her feet, staring at the image on the TV, and Lena wasn’t far behind.  Reign stood at the edge of a building holding a man upside down by his ankle.  The man waved his arms and his other leg around while Reign stood there speaking casually.  The news announcer was giving a description of the goings on, but it was fairly clear.  Reign was going to drop whomever this was.

Pulling open her shirt, Kara said, “I’ve got to get there!”

A hand on the symbol on Kara’s uniform, Lena said, “Don’t go.”

“If I don’t go, she’ll kill him.”

“If you do go, she’ll kill you.”

Kara thought for just a moment, then nodded once.  “Maybe, but I have to try.  Someone should.”

“Why does it have to be you?”

“Lena—”

“Kara, not against her.  I know you always want to do the right thing, but she kills the worst kind of people.  The world will probably be better off without him in it.  It will be a much worse world without you.”

The news announcer yelled, _“Oh my God!”_

“No!” Kara spun and yelled.

On screen, Reign had let go of the man, and he plummeted.  Suddenly, a figured swooped by grabbing him on her arc and landing on the roof of the next building.  Slowly, Reign took to the air and drifted to the next building to land on the corner and study the cloaked figure in the cowl who stood there over the man lying on the roof.

“Kate,” Lena whispered.

“The world wouldn’t be better off without her,” Kara said.

Hand over her mouth, Lena breathed out the words, “Oh my God.”

Kara dropped her glasses and shirt on the coffee table.

Arm wrapped around her torso, Lena begged, “Kara, please don’t go.  She nearly killed you last time, didn’t she?”

Nodding, Kara admitted, “It was bad, yes.”

“Then don’t go.  Just stay here with me.”

“I have to go.  It’s my job, Lena.”

“No it’s not.  You get paid for a job.”

Head held high, Kara stared unblinkingly.  “You’re right.  You can quit a job.  It’s my duty.  This is who I am.  This is who Kara Zor-El is.”

Lena looked up at the ceiling to keep tears from falling.  “Are you coming back?”

Stepping close to Lena, Kara placed a hand on either side of Lena’s face tilting the other woman’s face forward and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead.  “I plan on it because I’m still hungry.  You know, I really want to finish that...popcorn.”

“You idiot.  If you get yourself killed, I will make you regret it, Kara Zor-El.”

“I believe you,” Kara replied as she headed toward the glass slider.  “You can’t be alone here.  Call Alex!”

“She’s hurt.”

“Yeah but...just call her.  She can still protect you, or she’ll send Vasquez or Ront over to—”

“Who are Vasquez and Ront?  Are they agents with the—?”

“Lena!”  Kara stared intently, her hands fisted and tension riding along the surface of her body.

Grabbing her phone from the table, Lena was already in her contacts.  “I’m doing it.  Just be careful!”

“Yes, dear!” Kara said as she dropped her slacks and was out the balcony exit and off into the sky.

“Alex, it’s Lena.” She moved over toward the slider which was open to the night sky, seeing the figure quickly fading into the distance and out of sight.  “We just saw Reign on television, and Kara has gone off to face her.”

_“She what!?”_

Closing the balcony door, Lena nodded.  “I agree.  Do something for me, won’t you?  Get your people down there and do your best to keep her safe.  She’s incredibly brave, but she’s an idiot.”

 _“Supergirl is engaging with Reign downtown!  I need a full team in two minutes!”_ Alex yelled into the background.   _“Thanks for calling me, Lena.  We’re on it.”_

“Thank you, Alex.  Call me with an update when you can?”

_“Of course.  Oh, and just stay at your place.  We’ve got people on you.  You’ll be safe there, all right?”_

“Of course.  I’m not your sister.  I’m not going to do anything foolhardy.”

_“Good to hear.  Later.”_

Sitting down on the couch, the phone still clutched in her hand, Lena watched as Kate and Reign exchanged a commentary that couldn’t be heard.  The body language made it clear.  Reign was casual, gesturing at the man behind Batwoman while Kate stood her ground.  It was after a third and obviously final head shake on Batwoman’s part that Reign gave several nods; then the villain was suddenly mere inches from Batwoman and holding the vigilante in the air by her throat.

With a flick of her wrist, Batwoman tossed something into Reign’s face.  It was hard to see what even on Lena’s colossal television screen.  There was just motion, a few small things had been thrown, and then suddenly smoke engulfed Reign’s head.  She dropped Batwoman, and the vigilante pulled something else out of the utility belt.  It looked like bolos. She whipped them around quickly before tossing them to strike Reign.  They wrapped around the other woman, and seconds later, electricity arced along the villain's form.

Reign fell to a knee, her back curved cruelly.  The news reporter said the villain’s pain was obvious.  Even as Batwoman backed up, turning and speaking to the man on the ground, Reign snapped the cords that bound her.  She shook her head and rose again, striding with determination toward Batwoman.

As Reign pulled back an arm to backhand Batwoman, the vigilante raised both arms in weak protection.  The casual slap struck Batwoman’s arms, and the redhead went flying not stopping until she collided with the cooling unit on the roof where she stuck, partially buried.  She pulled herself free, falling to the ground but pushing upright again.  Then Reign was on her, lifting her by one shoulder to dangle her off the ground.  

Obviously hurt, Batwoman grabbed something else from her utility belt and tossed it at Reign.  Foam quickly expanded covering Reign’s face.  As the villain dropped Batwoman and began to scoop off the growing mass, Batwoman slipped behind the other woman and stuck something to Reign’s back.  Seconds later, a high-pitched whine was evident even across the television.  Reign bucked and spun, lashing out in all directions and stumbling.  There was no mistaking the pain and disorientation of the villain.  Before Batwoman could move from the area, an errant had struck her and spun her twice knocking her to the ground.  It was several moments before she slowly pushed herself to a standing position again as she backed away.

Finally, Reign fell and managed to slam her body around enough that she broke whatever was making the noise.  With a head shake, the villain rose again.  She pushed away the final bits of foam that clung to her.  One hand reached out in warning at a somewhat shaky Batwoman.  The vigilante reaching into a utility belt again, though it was clear which one of them was coming out better in their exchanges.  Though each had been dropped a few times, only one of them was injured from the exchanges.

Suddenly, a streak of red and blue appeared on the scene and crashed into Reign.  The villain was blindsided and jetted off-screen in a blur of motion.  Supergirl landed on the roof, speaking briefly to Batwoman who nodded in response.  The hero pointed behind herself toward the man who still cowered on the roof.  The duo exchanged a very brief handshake, more of a grip, and then Batwoman ran off to grab the man.  One grappling gun use later, Batwoman and the man were gone just as Reign reappeared on the scene.

Supergirl floated into the air to match Reign.  The hero in red and blue, her blonde hair flying out behind her in the night’s wind, was face-to-face and only feet apart from the villain all in black, her dark hair twisted back and covered.  They spoke though no one could hear the discussion.  Reign seemed calm if not exactly gentle as she apparently was explaining something.  Supergirl, on the other hand, was rigid and unyielding in her response, as ever the virtue of justice.  After a few words back and forth, Reign held out a hand and nodded, perhaps with resignation.  A split-second later, she’d strike.

There were times the cameras couldn’t even pick up motion.  The duo would simply be in one place, and then they’d be somewhere else.  It wasn’t a truth of cameras picking up the motions of Supers.  It was the truth of humans understanding the abilities of gods.  Somethings were just beyond fathoming.  As they’d streaked across the air, across the city top, and the picture shifted further and nearer, from helicopter camera to helicopter, one thing was clear as it had been before; Supergirl was not coming out better in this exchange.  Supergirl was fast.  Reign was faster.  Supergirl was strong.  Reign was stronger.  Supergirl was kind.  Reign was not.  There was no unwillingness to go in for the kill in the motions of the villain, and perhaps that more than anything else was the telltale difference.

Her anxiety building, Lena tossed herself off the couch and away from the television.  “Fuck!”  She grabbed her purse and coat and rushed toward the front door.  Hand on the doorknob, Lena stopped just short of turning it.  “What are you thinking?” She asked herself before turning and walking back into the kitchen.  Lena came back with a large Tupperware bowl with a lid in her hands.  She dumped Kara’s popcorn into the bowl, snapped the lid on tightly, and then opened the front door and walked out without pausing.

The 9ff GT9-R was a German made car modeled vaguely off the Porsche 911.  Unlike the Porsche that was rear-engined, the 9ff was mid-engined.  This gave it better weight distribution, and it showed in the handling.  A limited edition street-legal car of which only 150 were ever produced, the even rarer production run could reach up to an impressive 257 MPH due to the engine.  This twenty car limited run model car could go from 0-62 MPH in 2.9 seconds and 0-190 MPH in 16 seconds with this more powerful engine for those willing and able to spend over $1 million on the vehicle.  As Lena sped out of her parking garage and onto the streets of National City heading toward Supergirl, accelerating away at impressive speeds, she was making good use of her purchase.  

Clipping her phone into the dash of her vehicle, Lena glanced at the live feed of Supergirl’s fight against Reign.  As multiple helicopters did their best to keep the fight caught on camera, the aliens buffeted each other viciously.  The fight would disappear for a short time before being picked up on another news feed.  Luckily, most of the downtown traffic seemed to have been drawn off, either people had pulled over to watch the live stream or had headed down to watch the fight in the sky above because Lena’s split attention and breakneck speed only made her trip safe with deserted streets...vaguely safe.

The battle raged back and forth across the skyline for several minutes.  There was about a minute or two long pause for some discussion between the two before they struck again, heat vision striking heat vision in a display that looked like an early dawn rising above.  No one came out the better in that exchange, and all too soon the titans clashed again, their bodies coming together with fist and feet and the full force of thunderous gods.  Mortals below shook from their combined might and from fear.

By the time Lena reached the barricades downtown, Supergirl’s resistance had turned futile.  The Girl of Steel was lead, her limbs too heavy to move in defense as Reign battered her again and again.  A grip on the symbol of the House of El, Reign dangled Supergirl high above the buildings.  The villain spoke once more, and Supergirl drooped limp from her enemy’s hand, sweet unconscious having finally been granted as protection from the torrential downpour of punishment.  With a final shrug, Reign opened her hand and let Supergirl drop like an afterthought but with less care.

Before she could fly away, Reign’s head snapped back at a flash of movement halfway down the skyscraper length.  Once again, Batwoman appeared and swung through this time catching Supergirl before shooting off another cable from her grappling gun and continuing her arched descent slower toward the street below.  After several back-and-forth paths across buildings, the vigilante finally landed with a stumbling thud, rolling to the ground and dropping Supergirl, falling less than gracefully on top of her.

Batwoman pushed slowly to her feet over Supergirl’s downed form in the middle of the street.  One arm was wrapped around her own center, and she used the back of her other hand to wipe away blood that trickled from her nose.  Floating to the ground, Reign touched down effortlessly.  She tilted her head to the right, her face still a study in serenity as she blinked once, holding her eyes closed as she inhaled deeply.  Opening her eyes, she turned her hands over, palms out to the vigilante, and waited.

Pushing herself to her full height with an audible grunt, Batwoman unwrapped the hand from around her waist and held it palm up, wiggling all the fingers at once again and again in a ‘come get me’ gesture.

“I told you before.  You have chosen the wrong side of this, human.  We have the same purpose and fight the same fight.  Now step aside,” Reign said in an almost offhanded way.

“That won’t be happening.”

“Move, or I will move you.”

“Then you’ll move me,” Batwoman replied.

Just then, black SUVs pulled up surrounding the duo.  Several DEO agents, Alex Danvers with a bad arm strapped to her body at the lead, piled out drawing non-standard weapons on Reign.  The non-human didn’t even glance in their direction.  She rose perhaps two inches off the ground and hovered as she stared at her foe.

“Let me by!” A voice yelled from far in the back near the police barricade.

Head turning slightly, Reign listened to something else, to another discussion going on far behind her even as the DEO agents took position.  Several tense moments passed, second after second ticking off, and then the villain took to the air and lifted away.

“Go!  Go!” Alex said as she signaled her people and ran past Batwoman, dropping down on a knee next to her sister, “Supergirl, can you hear me?”

“She dropped like a brick,” Batwoman said.  “She was dead weight.”

Alex grimaced.  “Thanks for catching her.  How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

Alex nodded, then looked up at Batwoman who had already begun to step away.  “Are you sure because—?”

“Take care of the girl scout,” Batwoman said as she shot off her grappling gun and disappeared from sight.

As the ambulance pulled up, Alex ignored the fleeing vigilante and wiped hair and blood from her sister’s face.  “Just hold on, sweetie.  I’ve got you.”

Back behind the police barricade, a panicked Lena Luthor continued to argue with the officers there.  Only them physically restraining her kept the young Luthor at bay.

“I need to get by!”

“Lady, that isn’t going to happen!” The officer responded.  “You can either back up, or I can arrest you.  Your choice.”

“You don’t understand.  Supergirl—”

“Doesn’t need your help,” the officer interjected.

“But I…” Lena’s face lifted, and her eyes widened.

As Lena stopped speaking and all the people behind her took several steps back, the police officer turned to see what had gotten everyone’s attention.  There, floating about ten feet off the ground, was Reign.  Gradually, Reign lowered herself until she touched down and walked toward Lena.  The two officers present pulled their firearms and held them toward the villain, arms trembling slightly.

Stopping about three feet from Lena, Reign’s head tilted left then right.  “Do I know you?”

Swallowing hard, Lena mumbled, “God, I hope not.”

Reign took one step forward, her presence forcing Lena to retreat.  “What’s your name?”

“Um…” Lena nodded several times, silent, then said, “It’s Lena.”

“Lena,” Reign said then repeated, “Do I know you?”

“We haven’t met,” Lena replied with a head shake thrown in for good measure.

“Hmmm.  Still…”  Reign took two steps bringing her closer to Lena.

“Don’t move,” one of the cops said as he scurried alongside Reign, his partner paralleling the motion on the villain’s other side.

As the cop pulled back the hammer on his pistol, Lena said, “Oh, for fuck’s sake, don’t shoot her.  It could ricochet and hurt someone.”

Laying her hand on Lena’s shoulder, Reign said, “You’re smart.  You’re smarter than most humans.”

Her head barely shifting, Lena turned her eyes so she could peer down at the hand that lay so carefully on her shoulder.  The touch was featherlight, a hand cupped over the curve, but it felt unforgiving.  There was an immediate sense of power and rigidity that transferred through in even such a casual gesture.

As her heart rate tripped up even further, Lena let out one shuddering breath before she met Reign’s gaze again.  “That’s what they say.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Not...Not really,” Lena admitted.

“I’m Reign.”

“Oh...Yes, I...Reign.”

“Do you know what I do?”

Lena gave one slow nod and replied, “You kill people.”

“I cleanse the world.  This world is infested, and I’m the cure.  I will cleanse this world, and I will reign.”

“Ah.”  Taking a breath to try and steady herself, Lena said, “You’ve been doing a lot of cleansing, have you?”

“As necessary, yes.  Tonight I was interrupted.”

When Reign began to turn back toward the scene in the street, Lena impulsively clasped her hand over the villain’s that had begun to slip off her shoulder.  Reign paused for a moment then turned back to look at Lena again.  Though most of the villain was covered save for the neck, a bit around the eyes, mouth, and the ears.  Reign’s hands were left mostly bare.  That left Lena with a warm hand against hers, a hand with skin surprisingly soft but also with moisture coating the back of the knuckles.  If Lena had taken a moment to think about what that moisture was, a bit sticky to the touch, panic would have set it.  Instead, she forced a smile to her face and squeezed the hand under hers.

“Tonight was necessary?” Lena asked, her voice oddly calm even to her own ears.  “Who was that man you were going to...cleanse?”

“He sold poison to children,” Reign replied simply, with no attempt to move her hand away.  “He is the head of the snake.  You cut off a snake’s head, the body dies.”

“That makes sense.  Though I would think cutting off most any part of the snake would—”  As she felt Reign tense under her hand, Lena smiled more brightly and changed her wording.  “No, no, you’re right.  Best to cut off the head.  I’d have done the same.”

Relaxing again, Reign nodded slowly.  “Yes, yes, you would have.  You understand.  Tell me, Lena, do you mourn for those I’ve cleansed from this world?”

Allowing that thought to actually sink in, Lena replied, “No, I don’t.”

Pulling her hand from underneath Lena’s, Reign placed a palm on either side of the woman’s face.  “You understand.  Too few do, but you understand.  There is a place in this world for just people, but first, the cleansing must commence.”  Gravely, Reign nodded once.

In a mirroring gesture, Lena did her best to nod in return, but the hands on her face restricted the movement.

“Once I have cleansed this world, and I reign above this perfect order, I sense there will be a place for you.  First I will need to remove some impediments who have chosen not to...comply with how things must be.  It is regrettable because…”  Looking behind her, Reign frowned at the empty street where Supergirl had laid.  Turning back to Lena she said, “Well, that’s a bother.  Oh, well, another day for that.  We will speak another day?”

Lena shrugged.  “If you say so.”

With a small inclination of her head, Reign stepped back and lifted into the air, out of sight.

“Holy fuck, that shit was crazy,” one of the cops said.

Lena wasn’t listening.  She was looking at the palm of her hand, the one that had touched Reign and was darkened and wet with blood.

“Lena!”

At a yell of her name, Lena looked up to see Maggie Sawyer striding across the road toward her.

“You stay right there, Lena!  We need to talk!”

Snapped out of her daze, Lena turned and ran back toward her car.  The ambulance had disappeared down Elm Street, and there were only a few major roads from there.  She did some quick calculations on how long it took Alex and the DEO to get there from the time she called them, the direction they’d headed out, and the speed at which they’d likely been able to travel given the roads and traffic conditions.  She made some speculations on the area of town in which they were likely held up, started her vehicle, and gunned it past some upset people and in the likeliest direction she thought the DEO, and more importantly Kara, had gone.

 

<><> 

 

Maggie Sawyer watched tail lights of something silver and Porsche-like, but not a Porsche, up ahead.  When catching up to the DEO ambulance, it had been a bit of a surprise to see the sports car there.  In retrospect, no it hadn’t been.  Lena ‘I need to make up for every wrong my family has done so I’ll throw myself into danger at the drop of a hat’ Luthor had been at the scene of the fight and in conversation with someone who could whoop Supergirl’s butt.  Why would Lena let something like the federal government slow her down, especially when said federal government was between Lena and Kara?  Several “Pick up the fucking phone Lena!” left on voicemails later, Maggie was left with no other recourse.

Making another call, Maggie said, “Alex, you’ve got a tail.”

_“What the fuck are you talking about?  I can’t deal with this now, Maggie.  Kara’s hurt.  Who’s following us?”_

“Lena.”

 _“What!?”_  A second later, Alex was plastered against the back window of the ambulance looking out at the car behind them.   _“Fuck!  What the hell is she doing!?”_

“I saw her at the scene when you guys were sticking Kara in the ambulance.  I tried to get to her, but she ran off and got in her car.  You know the rest.”

_“Well, she can’t come with us.  We’re taking Kara to the DEO.”_

“Yeah, I get that.  I’ve called her a bunch of times, but she’s not answering.  What do you want me to do?”

_“I’m going to call in a roadblock and lock her out.”_

“She’s going to be pissed, babe.”

_“Then she should have signed the fucking NDA!  Meet me at the base.”_

“Okay, I...Alex?  And you hung up.”

Maggie followed behind Lena’s car for several blocks until she saw the two black SUVs up ahead on either side.  What was coming next was fairly obvious.  As the ambulance raced through, the SUVs moved together to block any other vehicles from following.  Maggie slowed down to a safe distance.  However, Lena’s car surged forward.  It barely squeaked between the bumpers of the two government SUVs as it nearly doubled in speed in seconds.  The SUVs kept moving forward, screeching to a halt as the drivers got out and looked at the tail of the silver car racing away.

Breaking at the SUVs, Maggie rolled down her window.  “Get out of the way!  Move it!”  When they did, she accelerated after Lena and the ambulance, though both were now out of her sight.

In the ambulance, Alex held her sister’s hand.  “You’re going to be okay, Kara.  Just stay with me.”  Her phone rang again, and she glared down at it, only answering when she saw Maggie’s name.  “Hey, you get Luthor in line?”

_“No, her car’s fucking fast, babe, and she drives like a maniac.  She’s still behind you I think.”_

“What!?  Fuck!”

_“What do you want me to do?”_

“Fucking Lena Luthor!”

_“Hey, this is exactly what we wanted right?  I’d say she cares.”_

Looking down at her sister, Alex nodded.  “Right.  Sorry.  I’m just...sorry.”

_“How’s Kara?”_

“Breathing.  She’s hurt.”

_“Right.  Sorry.  I’m trying to catch up to you.”_

“Just get here when you—” There was a thud on the ambulance.  “What the hell was that?”

_“What was what?”_

“Hold on,” Alex said as she stood up and looked out of the back window again.  “Okay, Lena’s still behind us.  I think we just hit something.”

_“Everything okay?”_

Staring at Lena’s car, Alex nodded.  “Yeah, I’ve just got to figure out what to do with my sister’s not quite girlfriend.  If I hold her at the door, can you take care of her?”

_“I guess.  It won’t be pretty.  Are you sure she can’t—?”_

“Mags, no NDA no entry.  J’onn would have my ass.”

 _“Your ass is mine.  That’s non-negotiable.”_  Maggie paused before continuing. _“Okay, keep Lena outside, and I’ll deal with her.”_

“Thanks, I love you.”

_“I love you too.  I love Kara.”_

“I’ll tell her.”

_“Thanks.  See you both soon.”_

Sitting again and squeezing Kara’s hand, Alex said, “Hey, Sis.  That was Maggie.  She loves you.  Guess what?  That idiot girl of yours is making an incredible nuisance of herself.  She’s trying to follow us into the DEO.  So, how pissed would you be if I have her arrested by federal agents?  Would you be pissed enough to open your eyes and yell at me?  If you would, I should let you know I’m seriously considering it.  So, you might want to open those baby blues right now and let me have it.  Kara, sweetie, please wake up.  Please, Kara?”  Alex kissed Kara’s hand, then wiped tears away from her face before hitting the contacts on her phone again.  “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you, lazy bones.”  She spoke into her phone, “This is Agent Danvers.  I need added security on the entrance.  We’ve picked up a tail, and I need her held until the security threat can be assessed.  Her name is Lena Luthor.”

When the ambulance arrived at the entrance to the DEO building, there was a serious security detail in place.  Six agents with automatic weapons stood at the entryway.  The ambulance had to come to a nearly full stop to slide under the overhang.  It caused Lena’s vehicle to come to a sudden, full stop just a few feet back.  Three of the agents moved to stand between Lena and the ambulance that pulled slowly forward.  One moved to the passenger side of the car and two to the driver’s side.  All six leveled their weapons at Lena.

“Miss Luthor, turn off the vehicle, put the keys on the dash, and place your hands where we can see them,” the lead agent ordered.

As the lights from laser pointers bounced off of her, Lena revved the engine and flipped the agent who was speaking to her the bird before gripping the wheel again.

“Fuck,” the agent moaned.  He grabbed the radio clipped to his shoulder while bracing the weapon against his hip.  “This is Agent Kratan.  Please be advised that we have an apparent hostile at the entryway who refuses to stand down.  Requesting permission to use force as necessary.”

The car lurched slightly as Lena clutched and changed gears, then revved the engine again.

A siren sounded, and an unmarked police vehicle pulled up behind Lena’s car at an angle.  Maggie jumped out.  “Don’t shoot her!  Hold your fire!”  She ran between the DEO agents on the driver’s side and the car, laser sights bouncing off her back as she knocked on the car window.  “Lena, you need to listen to them.  These guys will shoot you.”

Pressing a button to lower her car window about an inch, Lena replied, “Is…” Looking at agents around her, Lena paused before continuing.  “...Supergirl being taken to a medical facility for treatment?”

Maggie nodded.  “Of course.  She’s hurt so—”

Revving the engine again, Lena cut off the cop and said, “Then let them shoot me.  They can take me there too.”

“Whoa!  Whoa!” Maggie yelled as she ran around in front of the car and half-threw herself on the hood as it bucked forward again.  “Hey, you do not run me over, bitch!  I have a line in the sand for friends.  You can hit me with a fist when it’s called for but not with a car.”

The horn honked sharply as Lena punched it three times, literally punched it as she slammed her fist down rapidly into the center of the steering wheel, and then shouted, “I need to see her!”

Hands still splayed across the hood of the car, Maggie replied, “No can do, Lena.  You didn’t sign it.”

“But I need to…!  What!?”  Lena blinked tears from her eyes.

“No signature equals no entry.  Let me get someone to drive you home.  I don’t think you should be driving.”  Maggie pointed to one of the agents, gesturing for the agent to lower a weapon, but a voice drew her attention back to the car.

Her window fully lowered and her head sticking out of the car, Lena asked, “Signature, what signature?”

“On the NDA,” Maggie replied.  “No one goes in without signing one.  Sorry.”

Blinking rapidly, Lena said, “Fine.”

Relaxing a bit, Maggie tried for a gentle smile.  “Thanks, kid.  I’m going to have Agent Ront here—”

“I’ll sign it.”

Maggie’s head snapped back to Lena. “What did you say?”

“I said I’ll sign it.  If you let me see her, I’ll do whatever you want.”  One hand coming to her face, Lena wiped away tears.  “Please, Maggie, please let me see her.”

“You’ll sign the NDA.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t bullshit me, Luthor.”

Lena’s head shake seemed to set off a small tremor in her body.  “I’ll do anything you say if you just let me see her.”

Maggie softened.  “Kid…”  Maggie sighed and walked away from the front of the car, holding out a hand to the agent again.  “Ront, take care of my car, will you?”

“Detective Sawyer, I can but…” Agent Ront took a step forward, weapon lowered and stance unthreatening.  “Ma’am, we have orders.”

“Right, from Agent Danvers.”  Nodding, arm swinging out in a wide arc, Maggie’s fist solidly thumped into the agent’s well-muscled upper arm.  “Hey, you been working out?”

“Uhhh…” Head bowed, Ront blushed and swallowed hard.

With dimpled cheeks, Maggie said, “Ront, you just let me deal with Agent Danvers.  I’m going to get Miss Luthor here to sign a stack of papers roughly as thick as the National City phone book.  Once that’s done, and we have her checked for carpal tunnel, Alex will already know what’s going on and have approved everything.  I promise you won’t get in any hot water, okay?”

“Promise?” Ront stressed the question.

“Hey, have I ever steered you wrong?”

Raised eyebrows were the response.

“When I was sober?” Maggie clarified.

Head tilting to the side, Ront continued to stare.

“And it wasn’t funny?” Maggie further clarified.

“Funny for who?”

Arms waving in frustration, Maggie stepped toward the driver’s door on Lena’s car.  “Oh, stop being a fucking bitch-nipple and park my car for me, Ront!  Don’t scratch the paint, either.  Luthor, slide your ass over.  I’m driving.”

“But...okay.”  Releasing her seatbelt and putting the car into neutral, Lena pulled back on the parking brake and lifted herself gingerly over controls and into the passenger’s seat.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Maggie examined the vehicle briefly.  She had to slide the seat forward slightly as Lena had a few inches on her.  Pulling the seat belt into place, she depressed the clutch and brake, releasing the handbrake, but did a double take at the dash and stopped, not slipping the car into gear.

“Uh…” Tapping on one of the dials, Maggie asked, “What’s this?”

“Hmmm?” Cocooned in her burgundy wool coat, Lena’s eyes seemed sunken in as she followed Maggie’s finger’s motion.  “Oh, um...speed.  It’s the um...the speed gauge,” she responded in one of the least put together sentences she’d uttered in front of another person in...perhaps ever.

Instead of commenting on the young Luthor’s disheveled emotional state, Maggie tapped the gauge again.  “It says 420.  Does this car do 420 miles per hour?”

Lena released a tiny, humorless laugh that was just tension slipping out.  “That’s kilometers per hour.”

“Oh.  That’s better right?  It means it goes slower?  I only speak American math.”  Maggie tilted her whole body closer to Lena, ginning a little bit.  “I’m an ignorant stereotype.”

Lena allowed herself a small smile back.  “It goes slower.  420 kilometers per hour is...261 miles per hour,” she replied with a pause and touch of concentration in the middle, likely for math.

Throwing the car into first, Maggie whistled as the engine roared and they slid forward.  “It doesn’t go that fast, does it?  I mean, that would be like twice the speed of my police issue vehicle...going downhill.”

“Heh...not quite that fast,” Lena assured.  “The top speed of the 9ff GT9-R is 257 miles per hour.”

The car stalled.  Lena and Maggie locked gazes.

“Are you all right driving a clutch?  I could—”

“I know how to drive clutch!  I just…”

“Are you sure because I could—”

“I can drive clutch!”  Maggie started the car again, working her jaw back and forth and exercising out some of the tension that she carried but tried not to share.

Behind them, Ront honked.  Maggie spun to flash a brief ‘you’re #1’ with her middle finger before facing front again.

“You can just put it in second.  With this transmission…” Lena slumped down under the force of Maggie’s glare.  “Sorry.”

With a single nod, Maggie moved them forward again, under the overhang, and into the parking garage.

They went through two security checks, Lena having to fish out her ID even though they referred to her as ‘Miss Luthor’ by name before seeing it.  It seemed being infamous didn’t trump bureaucracy.  At least that was consistent.  As they pulled into a parking spot, Lena staring blindly at the yellow numbers painted on the concrete wall before the headlights were shut off, the young Luthor finally broke the deafening silence.

“Maggie is…?  I called but…  I don’t even know if her phone…  Maggie…”

“I spoke to Alex in the ambulance on the ride over here.”

Lena’s quick inhalation filled the small vehicle as she clutched at her seatbelt like a lifeline.

“She was alive.  She was breathing.”

“Oh, God I…” Ragged sobs erupted as Lena slid to the side, her head falling onto Maggie’s shoulder.

As the tears continued, Maggie curled an arm up and over Lena’s head, holding the younger woman close.  “I got you, kid.  Let it out.  Just let it out.  I got you.”

 

<><> 

 

It was several minutes later before Lena Luthor, the woman who could face down an entire C-Suite during a hostile takeover, was feeling put together enough to rise on slightly shaky legs and enter the DEO.  With her purse on her shoulder, she clutched her coat front in one hand and a bowl of popcorn in the other.  Maggie had raised eyebrows at the container but made no comment.  As it and her purse went through x-ray, the guards didn’t even raise eyebrows.  One signed NDA that was only about half as thick as the phone book later, the duo proceeded into the heart of the government agency.

To say every gaze fell on Lena would not be an overstatement.  With a yelp, Winn fell out of his chair.  They were most of the way through the main room when J’onn J’onzz stepped in their path.

“J’onn, she signed the NDA, and she only—”

One hand raised to Maggie, J’onn peered intently at Lena.

She raised an eyebrow in response.

Brows furrowing, his intensity increased.

In return, her eyebrow rose higher.

“Hmmm.”  Rubbing his chin, J’onn took a step back.  “Miss Luthor, you have a busy mind.”

“Um...thank you?”

He nodded at her and turned toward Maggie.  “Supergirl is in Medbay Three under the sunlamps.  She hasn’t regained consciousness.  Her status is still being assessed.”

“So we’re…” Maggie gestured between herself and Lena several times, then flicked her finger toward the medical area.

“Of course.  Miss Luthor doesn’t pose a...hmmm.  She’s signed the NDA.”

“Right.  Come on, Lena.”

As they left, J’onn added, “Miss Luthor, you should try and get more sleep.”

Not breaking stride, she muttered, “Doesn’t take a mindreader to tell me that.”  She left even more tension in her departure than her arrival.

Maggie and Lena arrived outside of Medbay Three quickly.  They stood in front of a glass window watching medical staff scurry about like ants in a rainstorm.  Underneath an array of sunlamps lay Supergirl.  Her breathing was regular if perhaps a bit shallow, though it was possible the later was a trick of anxiety fueled minds.  Her uniform was torn in places, and blood and rapidly forming bruises speckled her skin which was visibly paler.  At her temples, from a finger, and under her uniform on her torso, wires stuck out and counted out the tempo of still marching vitals.  From both wrists, tubes went in feeding fluids and nutrients.  This piercing of the Super’s skin, perhaps more than anything else, spoke to her frailty in this moment.

With a tablet shoved into her sling, Alex Danvers marched the room asking questions and barking out orders.

Outside, Lena looked from her friend’s battered form, to her own bloodied hand, shuddered, and squinted her eyes shut.

“Hey, she’s going to be okay,” Maggie said laying a hand on Lena’s shoulder.

“You can’t know that.”

“No, but I know Kara.  That girl’s indomitable.  She’s a force for hope and faith in this world.  She has that, and we have to have it in her right now.  Can you do that?”  When Lena merely bowed her head, Maggie elbowed her and said, “Hey, can you do that?”

Lifting her head, Lena nodded, “Yes, yes, of course.”

“Better.  You’re not hurt, are you?”  Maggie ran her thumb along Lena’s cheek.

“What?  No, why?”

“It looks like there’s blood on your face.  What happened?”

“Oh, God.”  Eyes closed for a moment, Lena shook her head.  “It’s not mine.”

“Okay, well whose…?  She looks pissed.”

Indeed, having caught them standing outside, Alex was staring fury in their direction.  Slapping the tablet down on a nearby table, she punched in the code and opened the medbay door before storming out to confront them.

“What the fuck, Mags!  You had one job, one job!  This is the opposite of that fucking job!”

“Whoa, whoa!  Easy, babe.  Just let me—”

“Kara is hurt, and J’onn will have my ass in a sling over this!  She cannot be in here.  I need to call security.  What the fuck were you thinking!?”

“She signed the NDA.”

Leaning forward, Alex asked, “What did you say?”

Maggie nodded.  “She signed the NDA.  Every line, every initial, every ‘I’ crossed and ‘T’ dotted.  She went through the security checkpoints and even got a temp plastic card.”

Lena held up her lanyard with her DEO visitors pass to illustrate the point.

“J’onn even spoke with us and passed her through.  It’s all legit.  How’s Kara?”

“Oh, I…”  Sighing, Alex nodded.  “Sorry.  Kara’s unconscious but still breathing on her own.  Her heart rate is steady.  Her pupils are reactive to light.  We’re pushing fluids and nutrients, and we have her under the sunlamps.  So far, she doesn’t seem to be regenerating, but that takes some time after this sort of injury.  At this point, it’s just a waiting game.”

“Do you have a prognosis?” Maggie asked.

“It’s too early to tell, but there’s no reason not to expect she’ll recover.”  Her gaze flicked to Lena.  “Honestly, it doesn’t look as bad as the last time she had a run in with Reign.  It’s bad, don’t get me wrong, just not as bad.”  Gaze resting on Lena this time, Alex asked, “What happened to you?  Where are you hurt?”  She reached out, grabbing the other woman by the chin and turning her face back and forth for examination.

Wresting her head away, Lena said, “It’s not my blood.”

“Whose is it?”

Hesitantly, Lena admitted, “Kara’s.”

“Kara’s!  How the hell did you get Kara’s blood on you!?”  Alex looked over to Maggie for an explanation.

Maggie shrugged and looked back to Lena.

Sighing, Lena replied, “Reign she...when she was talking to me she touched me and…”  She held out her palm, dark and blood partially rubbed off from contact with the steering wheel and her coat plus various other surfaces along the way.  Still, there was no disguising what was coating her hand.

“Reign spoke to you?”  Alex blinked several times, hand coming up to cover her mouth as she looked over at Maggie again.

Maggie nodded.  “Yeah, I caught the tail end of that, but I couldn’t hear it.  It looked kind of...By intimate, I don’t mean intimate.  It just looked intimate you know?”

Eyes wide, Alex looked back to Lena.  “What the fuck did she say to you?”

“Nothing intimate,” Lena assured.  “She said she’s Reign, and she’s going to cleanse the world.  She said the man she was going to kill was selling poison to children.  She called him the head of a snake and said that if you cut the head off a snake, it dies.  She asked if I regretted those she killed.”  She glanced back and forth between Alex and Maggie then admitted, “I told her I didn’t.  She told me there would be a place in the new world for people like me.  She referred to Supergirl as an impediment.  When she noticed Kara was gone, she said it was a bother and told me she’d talk to me again.  Then she left.”

“That’s it?” Alex asked.

“There were two police officers there.  I’m sure Maggie can track them down and corroborate my story.  Honestly, I was terrified.  When she showed up, I assumed she was there to kill me.  My initial thought was that I was grateful my affairs were in order.  When I’d lived beyond the first minute of our conversation, I was totally ad-libbing it from there.  Then I realized that if she was talking to me, you had time to get Kara out of there, so I just...spoke to her.”

“Wait, let me get this right.  You were chit-chatting with Reign while we pulled Supergirl off the scene?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know if I’d call it chit-chat, though I am a Luthor.  We do discuss world domination with tea and crumpets, so I suppose—” anything else Lena might have said was swallowed up when Alex threw one arm around her and pulled her close.  “Right...huggers.”

“You are fucking crazy,” Alex said.

“It’s hereditary.”

A laugh that showed hysteria’s proximity escaped Alex’s lips.  She stepped back from Lena.  “Why don’t we get you cleaned up?  Follow me.”

Alex led Maggie and Lena into Medbay Three which housed Supergirl.  They stayed at the far end, but it didn’t disguise the sounds and smells that were no longer insulated by the walls.  Alex sat Lena down, grabbing a single glove, which she donned, and a container of cleansing wipes that she shoved into her sling.  She angled her stool between herself and Lena’s gaze that fell heavily on her sister’s limp form.  As Maggie disappeared to parts unknown, Alex pulled out the first wipe and began to work on Lena’s face.

“So, hope this didn’t interrupt any hot plans you had tonight,” Alex joked as she smudged blood from Lena’s face.  When the other woman remained mute, Alex began again.  “It was probably just Netflix.  Am I right?  Netflix will wait for you.  So, what were you watching?  Anything good?”

“We were talking.”  When Alex glanced up but continued cleaning without interruption, Lena eventually said, “Kara and I were talking.  We were talking about...us.”

“Oh, well that’s...great.  Is it great?”

“I like Kara better than Supergirl.  I’d save Kara over Supergirl.”

Alex tossed a wipe into the container placed nearby for just such need.  “But they’re the same person.”

Lena’s eyes focused on Alex for a moment before wandering out to linger on a spot in the center of the room.  “It’s a hypothetical.”

“Oh, gotcha.  So you like Kara.  Well, that’s good.  I happen to know for a fact that she’s pretty fond of you too.  Turn your head for me.”  Grabbing a new wipe, Alex asked, “So what sort of ‘us’ conversation did you two have if you don’t mind my asking?”

“I asked her not to leave tonight,” Lena said ignoring the question.  “Kara said…”  Eyes closed, Lena let out a heavy sigh.  “She said this was her duty.  This was who Kara Zor-El was, but she promised she’d come back to me.  She told me to just wait at home for her, but I saw what Reign did to her last time.  How do you just wait at home knowing that—?”

“Hey...she’s going to wake up, and you two are going home.”

“But what if she doesn’t?”

Tossing another used wipe into the kidney-shaped container on the tray next to her, Alex pulled out a fresh one.  “Put your hand on my knee, palm up.”  She leaned to the side until she caught Lena’s gaze.  “She will.  This is who Kara Zor-El is.  She fights the toughest fights, and she never gives up.  Our job, your job, is to never give up on her.  Never.”

“But—”

“Never.”

Trapped under Alex’s steely gaze, Lena nodded once.

Jogging into the room in his Guardian outfit, helmet under his arm, James said, “Hey, Winn and I are going to head downtown and make sure things stay in hand.  With Supergirl out of commission, we want to make sure no one gets any bright ideas, though Reign’s presence usually scares the criminal element undercover for a while.  How’s Kara doing?”

Wiping Lena’s hand, Alex replied, “So far so good.  We’re still waiting for her sunlight absorption to kick back in so she starts to heal, but she’s breathing on her own.  She’s in good hands.  Don’t get in too deep out there, and radio us if you need backup.”

“Will do.  Also, J’onn didn’t want to bother you, but I thought you should know.  We have a security breach.”

Gaze shooting up sharply, Alex asked, “Like a hacker?  What did Winn say?”

“Not a hacker.  Someone’s inside.  I offered to stay and assist, but J’onn says they’re not hostile, just not authorized.  He’s being...I don’t know, weird.  You might want to talk to him.”

“Yeah, thanks for the head’s up.  Once I deal with things in here, I’ll look into it.”

Walking around James with a water bottle in her hand, Maggie said, “Hey, James.”

“Hey, Mags, Lena,” he added glancing down.

Eyeing James’ costume, helmet pressed against his body by one arm, Lena returned back to staring out at nothing and coolly replied, “Guardian.”

James took two stumbling steps back.  “Lena!  No I…!  What!?”

Rapping her knuckles on James’ breastplate, Maggie said, “Man, relax.  I’m pretty sure she doesn’t care.”

“I...but.”  He pointed at Lena.  “Is she the security breach?”

“Nope, she’s authorized,” Maggie replied making a signing motion.

With a resigned sigh, he turned to leave the room hitting his coms on the way.  “Winn, why didn’t you tell me Lena Luthor was here!?  Since when does she have DEO access?”

_“Oh, yeah.  She really startled me.  A Luthor in the DEO.  Pretty cool, right?”_

“She’s my boss!”

 _“Oh, is that like a problem?  She’s Kara’s boss too.”_  Winn laughed.   _“Maybe she should have a superhero division at Catco.  Too bad I don’t work there still.”_

James’s discussion faded to nothing as the door sealed behind him.

“Okay, all cleaned up.”  Alex added the last blood-stained wipe to the pile that had collected in the basin.

Lena stood, gaze moving back and forth between Kara and the door.  Most of the medical staff had evacuated the room.  Only one physician remained now, updating Kara’s chart and feeding data into a nearby computer.  Rhythmic beeps filled the otherwise near silence of the room.

Watching Lena closely, Alex said, “If you can’t do this, you should decide now.”

Wide eyes stared back at Alex, and Lena licked her lips in a feeble attempt to bring moisture to her mouth.  “I feel...I feel…”

Alex blinked, waited, and waited some more.  She waited with the patience of someone who had done this far too often to be as young as she was and to have a sister who was even younger.  Somewhere in the back of her mind she had likely already discarded the concept of how many shots she’d be drinking tonight and would be hitting the bottle directly.  There was something to be said for the efficiency model when passed out blind drunk was your predetermined goal.

Breaking the bubble of silence which had begun to press in on them, Alex asked, “What do you feel?”

“Everything,” Lena replied suddenly and with a start, perhaps alarming herself with the answer.  She nodded.  “I feel everything.”  Turning, hand on the glass window for balance, she stared at Kara’s form under the lamps with wires and tubes sticking out.  “She said she lost everything once.  I feel...everything.”

The first hint of a smile she’d had in hours, Alex squeezed Lena’s arm.  “Do you want to sit with her?”

Head turning to face the agent at near whiplash-inducing speed, Lena’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly, and then she held up a Tupperware container.  “I brought her popcorn.”

Alex’s smile grew.  “She likes popcorn.”

“She was going to eat it.  She said she’d be home for it.  I…”

“You want to bring it to her?”

“Please?” Lena asked eagerly.

“Come on.  Let’s put a chair next to her so you can wait and give her that popcorn when she wakes up.  How does that sound?”

“Thank you,” Lena whispered.

Once Lena was situated, bowl in lap and taking one of Kara’s hands after several false starts, Alex joined Maggie off to the side.

“Wow,” Alex said, her back against the broad glass window as she calmed a bit more.

“How are you holding up?” Maggie asked, holding out an open energy bar that Alex waved off.

“I’m going to have a nervous breakdown in about four hours.”

Taking a bite of the energy bar, Maggie nodded.  “That sounds right on schedule.  What about those two?”

Watching Lena’s nervous energy and Kara’s state well past slumber, Alex smiled again.  “That’s something, isn’t it?”

Maggie hummed in agreement.

“She really talked to Reign so we could get Kara out of there?”

Sipping her water, Maggie shrugged.  “She was talking to her.  When I got there, Reign had her hands on Lena’s face.  I drew my weapon before I realized it was a stupid fucking idea.  I spent maybe fifteen...twenty seconds trying to come up with some idea better than pissing on Reign’s leg, and that was my go-to idea, when she just flew off.”

Throwing one arm around Maggie and applying a hug, Alex said, “Well, I’m glad you didn’t have to piss Reign off...literally.  Usually, I forget how young Lena is.  Then I see her in pajamas, holding a bowl of popcorn, and waiting for my sister like a kid at a sleepover, her eyes big as saucers.  It makes me feel like I got a window back in time to what she looked like when the Luthors adopted her all those years ago.”

“You know, she’s almost ten years younger than me.”

“Ten years, huh?”  Alex relaxed her grip on Maggie so their gazes could meet.  “That make you feel bad for calling her the hot chick?”

“Almost,” Maggie replied with a quick, double eyebrow lift.  She took another sip of her water.  “So...SuperCorp.”

“I don’t have the energy to argue with you about that right now.  I need to figure out how we have an intruder, and why J’onn isn’t going ballistic about it.  Then I want to grab some food that doesn’t come in a foil wrapper, a shower, and a few hours sleep that aren’t in a chair.”

“After we catch the intruder, you want some help with that shower?”

“Babe, I just…” Glancing down at her bad arm, Alex admitted, “Actually, I could probably use the help.  Up for doing my hair?”

“Always.”  Maggie stretched to lay a kiss on Alex’s temple as they made their way to the door.

Pausing in the open doorway, Alex looked back and said, “Honestly, I don’t care what we call them, so long as they’re happy, both of them.  They both deserve it.”

“Truth.”

 

<><> 

 

“That doesn’t look comfortable.  Doesn’t your back hurt?”

Fingers wound their way through Lena’s hair, rubbing gently along the back of her head.  The sound of nails lightly touching her scalp joined with that soothing feeling that threatened to lull her back to sleep.  The familiar voice was correct, though.  There was an ache in her lower back and a nagging feeling that something more important than sleep was calling.  Her eyes fluttered open as she slowly lifted her head to unexpected surroundings and one very welcome face.

“Hey, sleepy head.”

“Kara!” Lena launched herself from the chair in which she’d been asleep, her head and one arm on Kara’s torso, and landed half across the other woman.  “You’re awake!”

Kara laughed, catching Lena with a bit of effort.  “Well, now that makes two of us.  We’re both in the DEO too.  That’s unusual.”

Head pulled back and eyes as wide as saucers, Lena said, “I signed so many papers with so much legal mumbo jumbo in them without reading it, my legal team would have a communal aneurysm if they knew.  Don’t tell.”

“Uh...Cross my heart, hope to—”

Lena grabbed Kara’s hand.  “Don’t.”

Pressing a button that raised the lights to a safe height, Kara smiled again.  She pushed Lena back as she sat up, a bit wobbly.  “I’m all right.  Don’t worry.”

“No you weren’t, and yes I will, Kara Danvers...Zor-El...whatever!” Lena scolded, one finger waggling with the impressive force of an entire body’s displeasure.  “You could have died.  You could have died!”

“I didn’t.”

“You could have died!”

“I heard you the first time.”  Kara grinned a bit sheepishly.  “And the second.”

“Don’t do it again.”  Lena poked Kara in the shoulder.

Head tilting forward, Kara asked, “Almost die?”

“Yes!”

Recoiling from the other woman’s voice, Kara rubbed at the back of her own neck.  “Uh...Did you come all the way to the DEO and sign an NDA just to yell at me?”

“Yes!”  Her energy spent, Lena slumped in on herself and shook her head.  “No, I…”  She looked around in search of something before stooping and reappearing with a container in hand.  “Here.”

“What is it?” Kara asked pulling the lid off the Tupperware container, as sheer joy painted her face upon seeing the contents.  “Popcorn!”

“You left it at home.  You said you wanted it so…” Lena shrugged.

“Mmmm,” Kara said, her cheeks chipmunk-like as she slid over and patted the side of the bed next to her.  A look of concentration crossed her face.  “Needs to be heated up.”

Hands still next to her on the bed where she’d just landed, Lena offered, “I could find a microwave, I’m certain.”

Staring intently at her own palms over the bowl, the air distorted from heat between Kara’s eyes and hands.  Seconds later, she ran her fingers through the bowl, melting butter and heating popcorn.  There was even the evident ‘Pop!’ of an errant unpopped kernel.

“Hmmm.  I loved unpopped kernels.  Oh, well.”  Kara shoveled more popcorn into her mouth and ate quickly.

“Well, that’s a...neat trick,” Lena commented.

“That’s nothing.  You should see her with a Thanksgiving turkey,” Alex commented as she scooped energy bars and pouches of Gatorade out of her sling and dropped them on the bed next to Kara.  “Welcome to the vertical world, Supergirl.  How are you feeling?”

“Mmmph...hungry.”

“That sounds about right.”  Alex grabbed the cleansing wipe container from before and handed it to Lena.  “She’s going to be a buttery mess.  Supergirl, your readouts look good.  Solar radiation absorption has returned to optimal levels.  You need to replace calories and electrolytes.  You know the drill.”

Kara nodded.  “Reign?”

“Gone again.  Still no clue where she’s going.  No known casualties this time.”

“Batwoman?”

“Yeah…”  Alex sighed.  “We need to talk about her.”

Both Kara and Lena stilled.

“Alex, what happened to Kate?”  Kara’s voice hung heavy in the air.

“She’s fine, Kara.”

“Alex, is she—?”

“Fine, I promise,” Alex interrupted Lena.  “Her physical condition isn’t an issue.  I wouldn’t lie about that.”

“Hey, you’re eating!”  Maggie said as she approached the bed.  “I should take a picture of this rare occasion.”

As Kara stuck out her tongue in response, Lena said, “Kara, manners,” and held out a cleaning wipe.

Maggie ticked her head to the side, and Alex nodded, moving a few feet away so they could lean close and mutter together quietly.

Taking the now empty popcorn bowl, Lena asked, “How was it?”

Dropping a used wipe in the bowl, Kara said, “I really wanted that popcorn.  It was worth waking up for.”

“Well, I know you said you’d come home for it, but I thought I’d bring it to you.  I wanted you to know you don’t always have to come to the popcorn.  The popcorn will come to you.”

“Oh.”  Kara made to adjust nonexistent glasses and changed the motion to tuck her hair behind her ear.  “Well, that’s good to know.  I mean, I’m always willing to go to the popcorn, but it would be really nice if maybe the popcorn were willing to meet me halfway.”

Lena swallowed hard.  “I suspect it might be.”

Picking up an energy bar, Kara played with the edge of the wrapper while she smiled before ripping into it.  “You know, technically my body needs this to live, but the popcorn...the popcorn feeds a different need, you know?”

As their gazes met, Lena’s normally light voice came out a bit throaty.  “Oh, I know.”

Kara crushed the energy bar in her hand.  “Uh...That happens sometimes when my powers are first coming back.  That’s normal.”

As she held out the bowl again, and Kara dropped the remnants of the ruined bar inside, Lena smirked, “I’m sure.”

“It is.”

“I said I believed you.”

“Yeah, but you—”

“Ahem.”  Holding out a fresh bar to her sister, Alex cautioned, “Use gentle hands, Kara.”

“Very funny, Alex.”

“Lena, mind if I borrow you for a few minutes?  Kara needs to finish eating, and she could probably use a shower.”

“Oh, of course.  Is anything wrong?” Lena asked as she jumped the foot down from the bed to the floor.

“I’m just hoping you and Maggie together can provide some influence over an issue we’re having.”

Lena nodded.  “Is it technical?”

“Highly.”  Alex pointed toward the ground, waving her finger around.  “Watch where you walk.  It’s piled high and deep in here now.”

Looking back and forth in confusion across the uncluttered floor, Lena asked, “What is?”

Smirking from Lena up to her sister, Alex said, “The innuendo.”

Lena’s response was an eye roll while Kara had the good grace’s to choke.

 

<><> 

 

Medbay Seven lacked the glass window of Three and had two armed guards stationed outside it.  Alex’s handprint and security code gave access to Maggie, Lena, and her entering.  Inside, a redhead lay back on a bed.  Her ribs were wrapped, and she had a few fresh sets of stitches, and many scars from older ones, across her body.  Bruises, purple and mottled, stood up angrily across her form.  Eyes focused on the newspaper in her hands, she looked for all the world as if she could have been spending a lazy Sunday in bed except for the...everything else.  She raised her head, smiling brightly, when the newcomers entered.

“Hey, visitors!” Kate said in way of greeting.  “So, the girl scout’s up, huh?”

Lifting the chart from the foot of the bed, Alex examined it and asked, “How do you know that?”

Gesturing at Lena, Kate replied, “By the company and general mood.  How’s your girl doing, Lena?”

“She’s hungry,” Lena replied as she struggled to keep a smile off her face.  She crossed quickly to Kate and applied a gentle hug as she whispered, “Thank you for catching her.”

Kate chuckled, breath snagging as she did so, her next words tight.  “Don’t know as it was necessary, but maybe it saved the city some street repairs.  I think she was harder than the building I hit.  I’m going to send her my medical bills.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Alex said snapping the chart back into place at the foot of the bed.  “You’re an idiot, and thank you.”  She pointed back and forth between Maggie and Lena.  “You two take care of this.”

As Alex left the room, Lena asked, “Why are we here?”

“Don’t worry.  I’m up to speed,” Maggie assured her.  She pulled up a chair.  “Kate, sneaking into the DEO...What were you thinking?”

“I only have an HMO?”

“Did you two date because of the sarcasm?” Lena asked, grabbing a chair.

“It was the sex,” Maggie and Kate responded together.  When the response made Lena freeze mid-motion, they both began to chuckle.

“I was after her money,” Kate said with a smirk.

“Right, right, and I needed a reputable front for my night job,” Maggie added.

“Hmmm.”  Pulling her chair up to join the other two women, Lena asked, “So, why are we here?  Did Agent Danvers task you two with destroying the remaining vestiges of my sanity?  If so, I’ll give you fifteen minutes of my time, though I doubt it will take you that long.”

“No, but I bet we could do it in ten.” Maggie flashed dimples.  “Kate here snuck into the DEO last night, and she hasn’t signed the NDA.  We’re supposed to tag team her into doing it.”

“Well, if you two are going to tag team me…” Kate grinned, green eyes moving back and forth between the other two women.

“I’m engaged.”

“I’m exhausted.”

“I’ll take those both as maybes.”

With a laugh, Maggie said, “You haven’t changed.”

“Why mess with perfection?”  Kate winked at Lena.  “Kara’s doing okay?”

“Better than you.  She was cleaning out an entire row of vending machine food when I left.  Why won’t you sign the NDA?”

“I need to have it reviewed by legal, and the fuzz hasn’t given me my phone call.  Your lawyers approved it?”

Leaning back in the chair, Lena admitted, “Not exactly.”

“Whoa.  You let the government get you by the short hairs?”

“I needed to see Kara, and this was the only way.  Quid pro quo.”

Kate nodded.  “Has your team looked it over yet?”

“No, but I’ll have to send it to them and get chewed out over it.  I hate getting badgered by legal.  It makes me feel like a child, not an accomplished adult with multiple degrees.”  Running her hand through her hair, Lena added, “These people work for me.  How do they make me feel like a gawky ten-year-old back in high school?”

“Uhhh.”  As she looked at Maggie, Kate’s face morphed oddly for a moment, confusion evident, then she turned back to Lena again.  “Yeah, lawyers are a particular bunch.  I tell you what.  Have your folks look over the paperwork you signed and get back to me after they’ve finished going up one side of you and down the other.  Talk to me about any clauses that should be of concern.  If your folks can sleep at night with you having signed it, I’ll add my John Hancock to one.”

“Heheh.  You said...John.”  Maggie giggled.

“You’re an immature idiot.  I miss you.”

“Right back at you.  Lena, you think you can make that happen?” Maggie asked.  

“I suppose.  I would have preferred to have buried the knowledge of this document far away from legal, but I should tell them.  I’d hate to have the DEO inherit $5 billion if Janković manages to blow my brains out.”  When Maggie choked on air, Lena clapped her on the back.  “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.  The...oxygen went down the wrong pipe.”

“I don’t think there is a wrong pipe, Mags.”

Ignoring Kate’s comment, Maggie stood and asked, her, “You need anything else?”

“I was thinking maybe a sponge bath.  Send your fiancée back in.”

“One boot enema, coming up.  Take it easy Kate.”  Kissing Kate on the cheek, Maggie headed to the exit with Lena in tow.  They had to wait to be let out.

“How’d it go?” Alex asked.

“I need to send my NDA to my legal department.”

“Lena, it’s already signed.  Please don’t—”

“Honey, Kate just wants one reviewed by a legal team she trusts before she signs off on it.  Two birds one stone, you know?  Lena isn’t trying to back out on this.”  Maggie looked over at Lena.  “You’re not trying to back out on this, are you?”

“I don’t want to lose access to Kara if she’s hurt again.  This way you’ll let me back in, won’t you?”

“Walk with me,” Alex said, sliding her good arm around Lena’s shoulder.  “What do you think about getting Kara out of the city for a little bit?  This place isn’t exactly safe for either of you right now.”

“I’d have to agree, but she isn’t exactly one to run from a fight.  It’s both admirable and entirely annoying.”

“Right, but if Janković was sighted in National City, she might be willing to take you someplace safer.”

Lena nodded.  “If that were to happen, yes.  As far as we can tell, he’s still hole up in Metropolis.”

As they entered the main room of the DEO, Alex pointed to a larger screen.  On it was a man with sunglasses, close shaved dirty-blond hair, and a strong jaw with a touch of scruff.  He was wearing a hoodie, but the hood was pulled back.  Even fully clothed, his musculature was evident.  He pulled off the glasses, and his gray eyes glanced back and forth across the camera.  He walked passed a familiar looking building.

Lena gasped.  “Is that…?

“Janković,” Alex finished.

“Is he in front of…?”

“The Catco building?  Yes,” Alex supplied.  “That was as of 7:45 this morning.  What time do you usually get to work?”

“Oh, my God.”

“So, given this update, I don’t think Kara will be unwilling to get you out of the city?  How do you feel about getting her further from Reign while we try and find some information to the woman’s identity and a weakness?”

Lena stood nodding, watching the man on the screen walk across the street and into a coffee shop she was known to frequent.  “Where would we go?”

Squeezing Lena comfortingly, Alex replied, “I’ve got an idea.  Leave that up to me.”


	14. Midvale

“Eliza?” Several bags in hand, Kara stepped into her first home on Earth and looked around in the darkness.  She placed some of the luggage on the ground, flicking on a light.  “Eliza!?”  There was no response.

Checking the time on her phone, Lena said, “It’s only 8:42.  Does you foster mother go to bed this early?”

Eyes closed, Kara concentrated for a moment then shook her head.  “No one’s home.  Close the door.”  As Lena did so, Kara pulled out her phone and made a call, “Hey, Alex, did you get in touch with Eliza?”

_“I tried, but all I got was her voicemail.  What’s up?”_

“She’s not home.”

_“Oh, well, she had a conference this week.  Maybe she’s not back yet.  Just relax and hang out.  I’m sure Mom will be back soon.  You two all right?”_

Looking over at Lena, Kara smiled, hesitantly.  “We’re fine, thanks.  If Eliza calls you before she calls me, let me know, okay?”

_“Yeah, fine, fine.  Just relax, okay?  No one knows where you two are.  Just enjoy Christmas in Midvale.”_

“Okay, thanks, Alex.  Hey, if you hear anything—”

_“I’ll let you know.  Now hang up and have fun showing your girlfriend around.”_

Eyes flicking back to Lena, Kara swallowed hard.  “Bye, Alex.”

_“Later, Kara.”_

Disconnecting, Kara said, “Eliza hasn’t checked in with Alex yet.  She had a medical conference this week.  We don’t know when she’ll be back.”

Lena stiffened.  “Should we be here?  We could get a hotel.”

“Oh, no.  It’s fine,” Kara said.  “This is my home.  Mi casa es su casa.  Eliza would want us to be here.  It’s fine, really.”

“You’re sure?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?  Eliza is like a mother to me.”

Examining her hands for a moment, Lena smirked as she met Kara’s gaze again.  “Even at the best of times, my mother was a fan of calling ahead and making plans.  I suppose our best of times was never the best.  However, if you’re sure your foster mother won’t mind…”

“She’d be mad if we left,” Kara assured as she turned on the hall light and picked up the bags again.  “Follow me.”

“Are you sure I can’t help?  I can carry my own bags, Kara.”

Kara shook her head.  “Oh, they don’t weigh anything.  I mean, literally, they feel like nothing to me.  You want a piggyback ride?  I can carry you too.”

“I’ll pass, but thank you.”

“Okay, but you can take a raincheck.  I fly Alex on my back all the time.  She loves it.”

“To each their own,” Lena mumbled.

At the top of the stairs, Kara headed down the hallway until she toed open a door on her right.  She entered the dark room leaving Lena to flick on the light behind her.  Inside were two twin beds, one on the right side of the room and one on the left.  Kara placed suitcases on each one.

“So, this is Alex’s,” Kara gestured, “and this one is mine.  You get Alex’s bed.”

Looking at the science poster hanging over the one bed and the kitten on the screen door poster hanging over the other, Lena smiled.  “Thanks for telling me.  I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out.  So, what’s the first order of business around here?”  Lena placed her laptop bag on the bed that had been designated as hers for the trip.

Stomach growling, Kara smiled when Lena looked over at her.  “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.  You made do with the food we packed for the trip and barely whimpered when we passed those diners.  I’m sure you’re starving.”

“I actually am.  I just wanted to make sure you’d be safe, and stopping didn’t seem safe.  There is a great little diner in town, though.”

“Lead on, Miss Danvers.  I trust this is a greasy spoon with horrific food choices?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s great,” Kara said, beaming.

“Ugh.  Tell me they at least serve a decent salad.”

“No idea.”  Kara’s smile never faltered.

“Small towns,” Lena mumbled, rubbing at the back of her neck.  Lifting her head, she smiled.  “Take me to your diner.”

“You’re going to love it.”  Kara held out her hand.

Lena took the proffered hand.  “Debatable...but the company will be good.”

Pausing, Kara’s smile grew as she nodded.  “Yeah.  Come one.”

 

<><> 

 

In Midvale, Pops’ Diner was where all of the high school kids congregated on any given Friday or Saturday after a football game, or when they weren’t at the movies.  The burgers were thick, the cheese real, the fries a bit greasy, but that was part of their charm, and the extra-thick shakes lived up to their name.  All of Pops’ desserts were homemade, and he had a chocolate cake shake which was made with, you guessed it, a piece of chocolate cake.  It was served with an extra-wide metal straw, but really, you just ate it with a spoon.  It was nearly impossible to suck that decadent thickness through a straw unless you were some kind of alien or something.

As Kara and Lena entered Pops, the place was fairly busy.  It was winter vacation, and both high school kids and those home from college were in attendance.  Given the lack of much of anything else to do in Midvale, this location got a lot of traffic.  While Kara unwound her scarf and smiled broadly at the familiar setting, Lena shoved gloves into her pocket and pushed up on her toes, trying to look over the excited, bouncing heads of locals for seating.

“Kara, that group is just paying their bill.  It looks like that table is about to open.”

As Lena took her hand, Kara held fast and shook her head.  “What?  No, this is a diner. You can’t get a booth.  Look, there are seats at the counter.”

“There are what?”

With a smile, Kara took a few long strides and made her way to the counter, never letting go of Lena’s hand.  The other woman followed in her wake whether by choice or not.  They each grabbed a stool, and Kara grinned even more broadly as she handed over a menu, plastic covered with only a front, back, and the two interior pages, and a bit sticky.

“This place is great.  You’re going to love it, Lena.”

“Yes, the atmosphere is...unique.”  Lena peeled open her menu, an eyebrow arching at the motion.

“Everything is good, so you can’t go wrong.  Get whatever you want, my treat.”  Kara’s smile never dimmed as she looked over a menu that had barely changed since she’d landed on this world, a familiar and steadying presence in her life.

Her eyes covering the same words as Kara’s, Lena shuddered.  “Ugh.”

Kara looked up from the menu.  “What’s wrong?”

Finger running along the yellowed plastic covering the words trapped below, Lena replied, “Listen to this.  They have something here called the KD Special.  It’s two one-pound burger patties with double cheese and three slices of bacon on each patty.  It comes with a double serving of chili cheese fries and a...Am I reading this wrong?  It says a chocolate **cake** shake.  I wonder what that means.”  Snapping the menu shut, Lena turned her head to Kara.  “All it’s missing is a defibrillator for the imminent cardiac arrest it no doubt includes.”

“It comes with a vegetable.”

“Where?” Lena asked opening her menu again.

Kara pointed.  “There, see?  It comes with a pickle.”

“Oh, good Lord.”  Closing the menu again, she raised one eyebrow at the other woman.  “Kara, drowning something in salt, sugar, and vinegar would not count even if a cucumber were a vegetable.”

“But...what?”  Kara shook her head.  “Cucumbers are vegetables.”

“No, they’re not, Kara.  Cucumbers are fruits.”

Frowning, Kara shook her head.  “No.”

“Kara.”  Laying a hand on Kara’s arm, Lena said, “Trust me.  I actually have to worry about what I eat.  A cucumber is a pepo, like a melon.  It’s a botanical berry.”

With a quick intake of air between her teeth, Kara turned on the stool as her shoulders curled in on her body.  Her brows furrowed.  “I feel like everything I know is a lie.  How could food betray me?”

“Kara, food hasn’t betrayed you.  It’s a misnomer, that’s all.  People tend to lump all non-sweet agricultural products under the umbrella of vegetables.  After all, they think corn is a vegetable.”  When Kara’s head whipped around sharply to look at her, Lena quickly added, “Which it is, of course.”

“It’s all a lie,” Kara said dramatically.  “Are doughnuts a lie?”

“No, doughnuts are not a lie.  Doughnuts would never lie to you, Kara.”

“What about that?”  Kara pointed to something under a raised glass display case.  “Is that pie a lie?  I love Pops’ pie.”

With a little smile, Lena sighed.  “No, Kara the pie is not a lie.  The pie loves you too and would never lie to you.”

“What about the cake.”  Kara’s hand shifted to a triple chocolate cake on display.  “Is the cake a lie?”

“No, Kara, the cake is not a...wait a minute.”  Lena’s smile spread across her face.  “Are you actually upset, or are you just making an elaborate ruse to reach a video game reference and make me smile?”

Elbow on the counter and cheek resting against the palm of her hand, Kara smiled back.  “It worked, didn’t it?  I’d call that a worthy and attainable goal.”

Picking up her menu, Lena threatened Kara with it but didn’t strike.  Kara laughed and shied away.

“I should let you have it.”

“Oh, promises promises,” Kara countered.

“Are you girls ready to order?”  The waitress was middle-aged.  She wore jeans, a button-down pink plaid shirt, and enough blue eyeshadow to make it questionable as to how she managed to open her eyes.

Clearing her throat, Lena turned toward the newcomer and straightened, immediately regaining her Luthor composure.  “Have you a salad?”

“Sure thing,” the waitress said clicking her pen on the counter and holding it above the pad.  “What kind of meat you want on that, sweetie pie?”

“None, thank you.”

“No meat.”

“That’s right.”

The waitress blinked several times at Lena.  “You sure about that?  Like I tell my kids, you don’t eat right now, you’ll be hungry later.”

“Oh, Lena just likes fruit on her salad,” Kara added with a grin.

“You want a fruit salad?” The waitress asked.

“Kara,” Lena warned between gritted teeth.  “No, thank you.  Just a salad, please.  Lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, mushrooms if you have them.  Oh, do you have kale?”

Off to the side, Kara put her head down and made a retching noise.

“Is she all right?” The waitress asked.

“Temporarily,” Lena replied warningly.

“Eloise, you can worry about other customers,” a man said as he walked up behind Kara and Lena.  “I’ve got these two.”

Kara turned on her stool, taking in the man who stood there as a broad smile burst across her face.  “Pops!”

Pops, the owner of Pops’ Diner, was maybe sixty.  He was about 6’4” with curly, gray hair on his head and a long mustache that reached his chin and still retained the jet blackness it had in his youth.  His skin was a dark brown and his eyes a shade darker, though they lit up as he took in the young woman before him.  He had broad shoulders and a big belly, a massive person with lines across his face, etched from obvious smiles.  His t-shirt was as white as his apron was under its stains.  He wore one of those white paper hats that looked like it jumped out of the 1950s.

“Hey, KD.  Welcome back, kid.  Come for your special?”

Kara launched herself off of her stool and into the man’s arms.  He stumbled back a half-step but held his own as he embraced her.

Lena watched them for a moment before opening the menu, looking at the special that had so horrified her before, and then dropping it back on the counter with a muttered, “Of course.”

As Kara stepped back, she said, “Pops, I want to introduce you to someone.”

Lena stood, holding out her hand and smiling gently.

“Pops, this is Lena my—”

“Heck, I know who she is,” Pops said.  “You’re pretty famous in the papers down here.”

Lena stiffened.  “Oh, well I—” Suddenly she found herself pulled into the man and engulfed in a hug.  She was lifted off the ground for several seconds, even feeling the release of her back popping before she was placed on the ground again, though he kept one arm over her shoulder.  When she’d had a moment to regain herself, she said, “Ah, good things then.”

“Only the best,” Pops said as he put his other arm over Kara’s shoulder.  “Congratulations to you two on the engagement.  Eliza must be thrilled, Kara.”  With a quick pull of his arms, he yanked both Lena and an unprepared Kara in for a group hug.

Pressed against the man, her face scant inches from Kara’s, Lena hissed out, “Engagement?”

“I...I...I don’t know,” Kara whispered back.

“Why did he say that?” Lena whispered.

“I don’t know,” Kara repeated in a whisper.

“Did you do this?”

Kara widened her eyes.  “When?  I’ve been with you.  I’m always with you.  Also, why?  Do you think I like having you pissed off at me?”

“Well, if you do, you should be overjoyed because—”

Pops pushed the girls back.  “Hey, let me get you lovebirds some food.  You want your special, KD?”

“Uh, yes, please.  I’m really hungry.”

“Of course, you are.”  Pops rubbed Kara’s head.  “You know, this little thing worked for me the summer after she turned sixteen.  She’s a skinny thing, but she could carry a bag of potatoes on each shoulder, and not those little bags.  I mean the big kitchen bags.  She’s a strong one.  A free meal came with the job, but she was always still hungry.  We had to create the KD Special to get this skinny little girl fed.  She still eats like that, huh?”

Lena sighed.  “She does.”

“What about you, future Mrs. KD?  What will you have?”

“Future Mrs…” Lena sat on her stool working her jaw back and forth.  “Just a salad, please.”

“No meat,” Kara added.

“No meat?” Pops asked.

“She doesn’t ah…” Kara nodded.  “And bring her a coffee, black.”

“Really?” Pops eyed Lena for a moment, then smiled at Kara.  “It must be love, KD.”

Kara looked at Lena who had turned her back on them, then smiled shyly at Pops.

“Well, I’ll put your order in.  You want the straw in your shake?”

“Please.”

“You got it.”

Sliding onto the stool next to Lena, Kara sat quietly for about two minutes before she said, “I don’t know why he thought that.  I never said anything like that to anyone, Lena.  You have to believe me.”

“I do.”

“I would never...You do?”

Reaching out without looking over, Lena squeezed Kara’s forearm.  “I trust you, Kara.  It’s just been a harrowing week.”

When Lena tried to pull her hand back, Kara placed hers on top.  “You trust me?”

Lena nodded.  “I do.  I apologize for snapping at you.  That was uncalled for.  I just...that took me unprepared.”

“Yeah, me too,” Kara agreed.  “Small towns, you know?”

“Not really.  I suppose I’ll find out.”

Kara smiled.  “People are nice here.  Well, some are jerks, but mainly people are nice.  I guess people are just people.  It will be fine.”

Smiling back at Kara, Lena replied, “It’s already been a warmer welcome than I’m used to receiving.  I like it.  I’ll be sold if we can just get some kale here and maybe some organic vegetables.”

“You mean fruit?”

As Kara grinned at her, Lena smiled back saying, “You’re lucky you’re cute, Miss Danvers.”

“I’m cute?”

“I…”

“Here’s your coffee,” the waitress said, sliding it in front of Lena.

“Thank you,” Lena replied, turning and giving the beverage her full attention.

Her hand on Lena’s back, Kara said, “We’ll straighten this out.”

“Uh, Pops said for you girls to pick out a dessert to go, on the house.”

“A dessert?” Kara asked.

The waitress nodded as she gestured at the triple chocolate cake on display.  “He said you’d probably want the cake, but anything you wanted, just let us know, and we’d box it up, cake or pie.  He said it was a little congrats on your engagement, so congrats.”  With a smile and a wink, she walked away.

Eyeing the cake, Kara’s smile grew.  “Well, we’ll straighten this out eventually.”

 

<><> 

 

Kara woke the next morning expecting to see Lena still asleep in the other bed.  Not only was the other bed empty, but it had been made.  Grabbing her cellphone, Kara checked the time, eyebrows rising sharply when she saw it was just after 10:00 AM.  Yawning and stretching, she rose from her bed and shook the last of the cobwebs from her brain that was still partially sleep muddled.  She made her way down the hallway to the restroom, freshening up for the morning before making her way downstairs.  

The smell of maple syrup, and the sound of a fork scraping on a plate led Kara to the kitchen.  With a mischievous smile, she pushed open the door and said, “Good morning future Mrs. KD.  What’s for—?”  As Lena and Eliza both turned to look at her from their places around the kitchen island, forks and coffee cups in hand, Kara froze, and the smile slid from her face.

“Kara, sweetie!” Eliza rose having found the smile that Kara lost as she made her way to Kara and wrapped her in a loving embrace.  She gave a little hum of happiness as she squeezed and rocked slightly, holding Kara close to her.  “Oh, how did you sleep?”

“Uh…” Kara hugged her back before stepping away.  “Fine, good, fine.  Great, I slept great.”  Kara smiled again.  “You’re home.”

“I live here.”

“Right.”  Rubbing the back of her neck, Kara added, “You weren’t here last night.”

“I was at a conference.  It got out late, so I decided to wait until this morning to leave.  You know me.  I’m an early riser.  It was just a two-hour drive, but still, I hate driving at night.”

Kara nodded.  “We tried calling you.  Alex and I both tried calling you.”

“Oh, sorry about that.  I was videoing one of the displays, and one of the other doctors bumped me rather soundly.  It knocked my cellphone out of my hand, and it landed in an aqueous solution that was part of the display.  Actually, it was fascinating, Kara.  This methodology is being used to transport a cell population across an immiscible barrier and into the aqueous barrier.  Via immunocapture, they can attach magnetically-responsive particles—”

“Eliza?”

“Hmmmm?”

“What happened to your cellphone?” Kara asked.

“Oh, it’s fragged.  I called my insurance, and they’re sending me a new one.  Did you girls see a package when you got here?  It might already be here.  They had to send it to the address on file.”

“Um...I didn’t notice,” Kara said looking over at Lena.

“There was something on the front steps when we arrived,” Lena said.  “It was a small box.  I placed it on the table by the front door.  I apologize, Dr. Danvers.  It totally slipped my mind this morning.”

“Oh, that’s all right, Lena,” Eliza said with a gentle smile.  “Again, it’s Eliza.  I’m going to go and see if it’s my phone.  Kara, pancakes and bacon are warming in the oven for you. Enjoy.”

As Eliza left, Kara turned back to Lena.  “Are you all right?”

Lena took a sip of her coffee.  “Of course.  Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I mean…” Heading to the oven, Kara took out the platter of pancakes and the plate of bacon.  “Did you want any more to eat?”

“No, I’m full.”

“Did Eliza eat?”

Lena nodded.  “The rest is yours.”

“Mmmm.”  Kara put her food on the stovetop and turned off the oven.  Heading to the fridge, she opened it up and peered inside.  “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay with you and Eliza.”

“Butter and syrup are on the island here if you’re looking for them.”

“Thanks.” Emerging with a carton of orange juice, Kara sloshed it around, her brows furrowing.  “Okay, we’re going to have to make a grocery store run today.  Eliza isn’t stocked for feeding me.”

“Is Midvale?”

Grabbing a large glass, Kara filled it and left the cartoon on the counter.  “Fair point.”  She grabbed a fork and knife, holding them in the same hand as her glass and managing to carry both plates in the other hand as she moved next to Lena at the kitchen island.

“You could have made two trips you know.”

“I could have, but I don’t have to.”  Cutting up butter, Kara began to pile pats between her pancakes.  “So, the discussion with Eliza went okay?”

“It was very illuminating.”

Kara paused.  “What does that mean?”

“Nothing sinister.  I didn’t know she was home, and she thought you and Alex had come to visit.  Apparently, Alex left a vague, ‘Mom call me when you get this’ message on the home answering machine which Eliza didn’t do when she saw the car outside this morning.  She assumed she’d just talk to you both.  We definitely startled each other this morning.  She recognized me from some photos somewhere, which I think is good because she’s been quite pleasant.  She’s also been on a bit of a scientist high from her conference, and we’ve talked about that a lot.”

“Yeah, sorry.  Eliza gets a bit...sciency.  You should hear her and Alex go off sometimes.  It’s…” Kara smiled as she spread butter on her pancakes.  “I hope it was okay for you.”

“Kara, darling, you forget that I grew up with a mother who was a doctor.  This is nothing new to me.”

“Oh, right.  So this feels homey?”

Lena laughed, taking another sip of her coffee.  “Oh, not at all.  Eliza is lovely.  I didn’t grow up with a mother who was lovely.  That part feels...alien,” Lena added with a finger gun and a wink at Kara.

Kara laughed as she made some quick cuts to her pancakes.  “Yeah, Eliza is fantastic, but she can be smothering.  She just…” After a moment’s concentration, Kara shook her head.  “Okay, she’s talking to some customer service person about her new cellphone I think.  She called the guy sweetheart.  That’s Eliza.  She didn’t smother you, did she?”

“Even if she did, I’d have no complaints.  Kara, in the mother competition, you have nothing about which to worry.  Yours didn’t kidnap my friends or me threaten me, or torture me.  There were no mad schemes or attempted genocide.  If we’re judging here, yours is the clear winner.”

Drowning her pancakes in syrup, Kara’s grin was a bit lopsided.  “Ah, right.  I wasn't thinking of it as a competition, but I guess it wouldn’t really be fair, would it?”

“Yes, my mother does set the bar a bit low, doesn’t she?”

“An ant couldn’t limbo under it.” Realizing what she said, Kara looked up, clearly startled by her own admission.

An eyebrow raised, Lena held Kara’s gaze for several moments before grabbing Kara’s arm and bursting out in laughter.  Lena was still giggling, her head against Kara’s shoulder when Eliza walked back into the kitchen moments later.

“What’s so funny?” Eliza asked.

Hiding her smile in her coffee cup, Lena took a sip and said, “My mother.  What else?”

“Ah…”  Eyebrows raised, Eliza met Kara’s gaze.

“This one has an odd sense of humor, Eliza.”

“That’s a given if she puts up with you.”  Eliza took up her station on the other side of the island.  “Well, my contacts are all lost.  My sim card is fried.  I need you girls to put your numbers in my phone today, and I do mean both of you, Lena.  Kara, I need Alex’s number and Maggie’s too.  Oh, I also need…”

As Eliza’s gaze fell on her, Lena finished the last of her coffee and rose casually.  “Well, I’m done with breakfast.  Dr. Danvers—”

“Eliza.”

“Sorry, Eliza, what should I do with my dishes?  Do you—?”

“Just put them in the sink dear.”

“Are you sure because—?”

“In the sink,” Eliza repeated.

When Lena looked at her hesitantly, Kara said, “Don’t make her use her mom voice, Lena.”

“Mom voice?”  Lena tilted her head to the side.  “Is that the one she uses when she’s creating videos demanding the obedience of the citizens of the city?”

Head shifting forward, Eliza asked, “Excuse me?”

“Just her sense of humor again,” Kara explained.  “You’ll get used to it.”

Placing her dishes in the sink, Lena asked, “Mind if I grab a shower and get ready for the day?”

“Towels are in the linen closet across from your room,” Eliza said.  “Do you need anything else?”

“I should be all set, but I’ll be sure to ask if I do.  Thank you, Eliza.  Kara, I’ll grab a towel for you and leave it on your bed.”

Eliza smiled as Lena left the room, but wheeled on Kara moments later.  Her face was pinched and angry, and a finger pointed as her voice hissed, out, “I’m upset with you, young lady.”

“What?  What did I do?”

“Oh, you…” Eliza made a grumbly noise as she rose and grabbed a newspaper from the counter. Unfurling it, she dropped it next to Kara on the island and jabbed at it as she spoke.  “Why did I have to find this out from rumors and in the news?  Why didn’t you tell me?”

Blinking, Kara leaned down and examined the paper.  She flipped it open so she could see the full page spread.  There were headshots of both Lena and her, and the headline boldly proclaimed ‘Engagement of Midvale Locale Turned Investigative Journalist and Eccentric CEO Billionaire’.  The story below told of their secret tryst that had gone on for more than a year, covert lunch dates under the guise of interviews, Kara’s all-access pass to the CEO at L-Corp, their late night dinners at Lena’s that had…

“Continued on page fourteen,” Kara said opening the paper to the rest of the story.

...led to overnight stays, and finally, Lena buying Catco as an engagement present for Kara.  The article eventually posited that not even the Girl of Steel, who seemed to be a leading contender for Miss Luthor’s affections, had been able to edge out Midvale’s own hometown sweetheart.  

Blinking repeatedly, Kara read and said, “Congratulations to you both, Kara and Lena.  Have you set a date?”  Eyes wide she repeated, “Have you set a date?”  Looking up, she said, “Uh...Uh...Eliza?”

“Well, have you?”

“What?  No!”

“You better not have.  I can’t believe I had to read this in the newspaper, Kara.  Did Alex know about all of this?  I swear that sister of yours—”

“Eliza, no.  Alex didn’t...Wait, this isn’t what you think.”  Holding up the paper, she said, “This isn’t accurate.”

“Well, I know that.”

Sighing, Kara leaned back and nodded.  “You talked to Lena?”

“I did.  She’s a lovely girl and definitely not eccentric.  She was a bit cagey when I asked her about the purchase of Catco.  She gave me half-answers and then changed the subject.  What happened there?”

“Nothing.  What?”

Eliza pointed again, wiggling her finger around.  “That girl is very good at evading questions.”

“She’s a CEO.  She has to be.”

“Yes, but I’m a mother.  I have to be better at getting answers.  I only let her avoid my inquiry because she’s a guest.  You, Kara, are not a guest.  So, tell me the story behind the purchase and sale of Catco.  Is it an engagement present?”

Mouth full of pancakes, Kara shook her head rapidly while chewing.

“Take normal bites, Kara.  Tell me the story.”

Swallowing, Kara took several sips of her drink.  “Sorry.  Okay, so there’s this guy, Morgan Edge, who’s a complete scumbag.  Actually, calling him a scumbag gives scumbags a bad name.  He was going to buy Catco and use it to control the press, so he could literally buy himself good press.”

“That’s awful!”

“That’s Edge,” Kara agreed.  “Lena sort of knows him.  He knew her brother Lex.  I don’t think they got along, but they knew each other kind of like rich people do.  I asked Lena to talk to Edge and try and persuade him to not buy Catco.  She told me he wouldn’t listen to her, but she agreed to try.  Well, she tried.”

Eliza waited while Kara shoved another forkful of pancakes into her mouth.  “And?”

“Hungry,” Kara mumbled.  She swallowed.  “Lena was right.  Edge wouldn’t listen.  Lena is usually right about business.  When I went to talk to Lena about it again, Lena told me she bought Catco.”  Kara paused, not eating just holding Eliza’s gaze.

“Because?”

Kara made a noncommittal noise.

“Kara, use your words.”

“Promise you won’t laugh?”

Squeezing Kara’s forearm, Eliza replied, “Sweetheart, when have I ever laughed at you?”

Kara started counting things off on her fingers.  “When I thought that clowns were a race of people, a subspecies of humans.  When Alex tricked me into thinking that chickpea was actually chick pee, that it was made with baby chicken urine, and I spewed hummus all over the cabinets when I found out what it was made with.  How about when I told Jeremiah that another one of the teachers in our school was pregnant, and he said, ‘Oh, they must be putting it in the water cooler’, and then when Alex tried to drink from the water cooler I knocked the paper cup from her hand and—”

“Okay, okay, Kara.” Eliza smiled.  “So, sometimes I chuckled a little bit when you were getting acclimated, but from our perspective, things were a bit amusing especially the water cooler one.  You have to understand how odd that seemed to us humans.”

“Well, not to a Kryptonian.  When I went to health class and found out how you…”  Kara’s eyes widened, and she shook her head.  “That was the most educational class I took in all of high school.  That was **not** how it was done on Krypton.”

“I know, sweetheart.  I apologize for making you uncomfortable.  Forgive me?”

Kara shrugged.  “It’s fine, Eliza.  You did so much more to make me feel at home and loved than anything else.  I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me.  I’m grateful for you.”

“I’m grateful for you too.  So, why did Lena buy Catco?”

“You are not easily distracted.”

“I’m a mother.  Answer my question.”

“Yes, ma’am.”  Kara stabbed a piece of pancake but didn’t take a bite.  “She said she wanted to be a little bit more like Supergirl in her own way.”

“Oh, well that’s…”  Pursing her lips, Eliza considered before adding, “But she knows who you are.  We spoke this morning, and she knows who you are.  She brought it up first.”

Kara nodded.  “I only told her about a week ago.”

“Oh.  You’ve been dating all this time, and you only just told her?  How’d she take that?”

Adjusting nonexistent glasses, Kara, fiddled with the newspaper again.  “Did you and Lena talk about this article this morning?”

“Briefly?”

“And?”

“She wasn’t thrilled about it.”

Kara nodded.  “What did she say, exactly?”

“Well, she said that Catco had provided an accurate portrayal of your relationship and that this article had various and sundry errata and at least two solecisms which she had noted.  She said they should fire their editor.”

Kara waited, but when nothing else followed she asked, “Anything else?”

“No, that was...oh, yes.  She said she hated that picture.”

“The picture?” Kara looked at the picture of Lena and her, walking hand and hand after the press conference three days ago.  Lena’s head was bent toward Kara’s shoulder, and Kara was smiling slightly.  “Oh...I kind of like it.”

“Not that one.  The picture of her on the front page,” Eliza corrected.

Kara flipped over the newspaper back to the front page.  There were Kara’s and Lena’s headshots.  Kara’s was from the Catco webpage.  Lena’s showed her in a black V-neck blouse.  Her hair was up in a neat bun, and her makeup was a bit stern.  She wore her dramatic wine lipstick.  The picture stared out from the page almost in challenge.

Smiling, Kara asked, “What’s wrong with the picture?”

Eliza shrugged.  “I doubt the girl takes a bad picture.  She’s stunning, but she said that one was boardroom assertive, not engagement photo appropriate.”

Thumping the paper to the island with perhaps a bit too much force, Kara asked, “Wait, Lena’s complaint was that her photo wasn’t ‘engagement photo appropriate’?  She didn’t say anything else?”

“Just what I told you.  Why?”

“Well, it’s just...How long did you and Lena talk?”

Looking at the clock over the stove, Eliza replied, “Oh, maybe an hour or so.  I’m afraid I monopolized the conversation talking about my research, but she seemed honestly eager to learn about it.  She talked about her company’s research too.  She may run the company, but she’s an engineer first, you know.”

“Oh, I know.”

“L-Corp is coming to the market with a new stethoscope that works with a smartphone app.  It transmits data real time, so the physician can see results in the palm of their hand.  It’s very exciting.”

Shoveling pancakes into her mouth, Kara nodded.

“Also, did you know that Lena gained full rights to Biomax after Jack Spheer’s unfortunate passing?”

Mouth full, Kara mumbled her startled question.

“Oh, you probably knew that already.  Of course, the product isn’t close to market-ready, but Lena’s doing work with quantum dots and using ultrasonic waves to guide nanoparticles.  They’re building devices from a single strand of DNA.  It’s in the early stages, but so far, they’ve been able to get the robots to recognize a dozen different types of cancer cells.  Of course, programming swarm behavior is the trick.”

Kara shuddered.  “Swarm behavior.”  She pushed her plate away.  “Did Lena talk to you about working with her?”

“Oh, no.  We were just chit-chatting, scientist to scientist.  It’s like Alex and I get.  You know how that is.”

“I do.”

Smiling and squeezing Kara’s forearm again, Eliza said, “It will be so nice to have another scientist in the family.  Not that I’m not happy just for you, Kara, but...I approve.”

“Yeah, Eliza, about Lena—”

The phone rang in the living room, and Eliza rose.  “Hold that thought, sweetheart.  I’ve got to do this the old fashioned way until I get my cellphone working again.  I’ll be right back.”

As Eliza left, Kara stared down at the newspaper.  After a few moments of staring, she stepped onto the back deck and pulled out her cellphone.  The morning air was crisp in December, and there was a light dusting of snow on the ground.  Her breath puffed out as she dialed, immune to this level of cold.

 _“Morning, Kara,”_ Alex said across the line.   _“Did you hear from Mom yet?  She hasn’t called me.”_

Scratching at the back of her neck, Kara shuffled her bare feet through the snow.  “Yeah, she’s here, Alex.”

_“Oh, good.  You all set?”_

“Actually, I need some advice.  You see, Eliza and Lena were talking this morning and—”

_“Oh, no.  Kara, what happened?  Is Mom giving her a hard time?  Do you want me to talk to her?”_

“No, that’s not the problem.  Eliza loves Lena.  She’s treating her like...family.”

_“Well, that’s good.  So, what’s the problem?”_

“She’s treating her like family.”

_“Yeah, I heard you the first time, Kara.  What’s the problem?”_

Kara sighed.  “Where are you, Alex?”

_“Work.  Where should I be?”_

“Can you get a copy of the Midvale Press from two days ago?”

_“Ummm, online.  What’s up?”_

“Pull up a digital copy, and let me know when you know what’s going on.”

 _“Okay, hold up.  Let me put you on speaker since I’m doing this one-handed.”_  There was a shifting around, a few moments of silence.  In the background, there was a clicking of keys on a keyboard.   _“Okay, so what am I…?  Oh, my God.  Kara, I didn’t do this.”_

“I didn’t think you did.”

_“Mom saw this?”_

Leaning against the rail on the porch, Kara replied, “She asked if we’d set a date yet.”

Alex laughed nervously.   _“You told her it was a mistake, right?  You set her straight?”_

“Well…”

_“Kara!”_

“Don’t yell at me!  I’m under a lot of stress here!  I didn’t even finish my breakfast!”

 _“Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”_  Alex verbally backpedaled.   _“Does Lena know yet?”_

“That’s why I’m calling you, Alex.  Lena and Eliza talked for about an hour this morning while I slept in.  Apparently, Lena’s biggest complaint was that she didn’t like the engagement photo they used for her.”

For several beats, Alex said nothing.   _“Lena didn’t correct Mom?”_

“Yup.”  Kara made the P pop when she spoke.  “So, what do I do?”

_“Well...huh.  That’s interesting.  You didn’t talk to Lena about this yet?”_

“She’s showering.  I just talked to Eliza about it.”  Shuffling around on the deck again, Kara stopped and squatted down, using a finger to make swirls in the snow.  “You think I should just ask Lena why she didn’t explain this to Eliza?”

_“I guess.  I mean...I guess.”_

“So, you’re as clueless as I am.”

_“Kara, there’s really no precedent for taking the girl home that you’re pretending to date and your foster mother thinking you’re engaged, so the girl just...goes with it.  Also, you’re an extra-terrestrial.”_

“Alex, the PC friendly term is terrestrially challenged.”

Over the line, Alex sighed.   _“I’ll have the DEO update our manuals and let HR know.  We wouldn’t want to offend any of the terrestrially challenged.”_

Kara grinned.  “Thanks.  So, I should talk to Lena?”

_“Yeah, just ask her, Kar.  She must have had a reason, right?  Why wouldn’t she tell Mom?”_

“I...I don’t know,” Kara admitted.  

_“Was she uncomfortable around her?”_

“They seemed fine together.  Lena said Eliza was lovely.  They were being science nerds together.  Eliza was upset I didn’t tell her about my relationship with Lena, but she’s thrilled to welcome her to the family.  She’s getting another scientist in the family.”

_“Wow.  Okay then maybe...huh.”_

“Huh?  What huh?  Why did you say huh?  What’s going on?”

_“You should finish your breakfast.  You’re cranky right now.”_

“Alex, tell me already.”

 _“Hangry,”_ Alex mumbled.  _“Well, I was thinking maybe she didn’t tell Mom it wasn’t true because she was okay with pretending.”_

“Why would she be okay with it?”

_“Kara, I keep telling you this.  Lena likes you.”_

Standing up suddenly, her doodles lost as her foot kicked out and tossed powder all about, Kara said, “Lena likes me?”

_“Yes, genius.  Lena likes you.  So, go ask the girl who likes you, and not as just a friend, why she didn’t correct Mom about the engagement mix up.  Got it?”_

“Uh yeah.  Got it.  Hey, thanks, Alex.”

_“No problem, Kar.  You need anything else, just call me, all right?”_

“I will.  Love you.  Later.”

_“Love you too.  Bye.”_

 

<><> 

 

Wearing her bathrobe, a towel wrapped around her head, Lena was freshened up for the day as she opened the bathroom door to a newspaper shoved in her face.

“What do you mean, you don’t like this for an engagement photo?”

“Aaahhhh!” Hand to her chest, Lena dropped her bathroom bag as she staggered backward.

“You okay?” Kara asked.

“What the fuck are you doing lurking outside the bathroom!?”

“I wasn’t lurking.  I was...I was…”

“Lurking!”  Grabbing her bag from the floor, Lena strode past Kara and made her way to their shared bedroom with Kara hot on her heel.

“Well, what did you mean?” Kara asked.

Dropping her bag on the bed and unwrapping her hair, Lena began to towel it off as she crooned her neck to examine the image again.  “What do you mean?  I look dour in that photo.  Don’t you think?”

“Oh, I don’t know about dour.”  Kara pulled the photo back to her, eyeing it again.  “Maybe you look a little bit...terse.”

“Terse?”  Shaking her hair, Lena laughed melodically.  “Kara, I’m pretty sure the name of that color of lipstick is ‘hostile takeover number five.’  Why do you care if I don’t like the photo? What’s the big deal?”

“No, it’s not that.  It’s that...”  Going back to the doorway, Kara stuck her head out and looked up and down the hallway before closing the door and walking back to Lena.  She shook the paper.  “All you said to Eliza was that you didn’t like the photo.  What about everything else?”

“Why did you look out there?”

“To make sure Eliza couldn’t hear us.”

Arms crossed, Lena said, “You’re Supergirl.  Can you really not tell where your foster mother is right now?”

“Oh, right.  Sorry, acting human around you is kind of a habit when I’m not thinking about it.”  Tilting her head slightly, Kara said, “Okay, she’s in the kitchen.  Oh, she’s mixing something.  Oh, she’s baking!”

“Didn’t you just eat breakfast?”

“And?”

“Right, what am I thinking?  Look, Kara I…”  Brows furrowed, Lena held one finger point down and twirled it.  “Turn around.”

“Why are you going to get naked?” Kara asked as she turned around.

“Do you want me to?” Lena asked with a lifted brow.

Looking over her shoulder, Kara’s eyes widened.

“I...sorry about that.”  Lena managed to look sheepish.  “I’ll try to be less...me, but, yeah, sometimes I can be a little bit flirty.”

As she heard the other woman walk a few steps away, Kara whispered, “I hadn’t noticed.”

After putting Kara’s hair into a ponytail, Lena said, “Turn around, please?”

Gingerly, Kara turned.

Pulling Kara’s glasses from where they hung on her robe and placing them on the blonde’s face, Lena said, “Don’t worry, Kara.  If I get naked around you...Sorry.  Nervous habit...and not nervous habit.  I will work on that.  Anyway, that’s better.  You look like you now.”

“Who did I look like before?”

“Like Supergirl sort of.”

“Aren’t you the one who just admonished me for not acting like Supergirl?”

“Yes, but Luthors are hypocrites,” Lena admitted.  “Seeing Supergirl in ice cream cone covered pajamas was completely destroying my train of thought.  So, what were we discussing before I derailed us?”

“I...I have no idea,” Kara admitted.

“The newspaper?”

Looking at the paper in her hand, Kara said, “Oh, yeah!  Thanks.  So, why didn’t you tell Eliza that we weren’t really engaged?”

Shrugging, Lena replied, “Why didn’t you tell Pops that we weren’t really engaged?”

“Uh, free cake?”

“Okay, free breakfast?” Lena said matching Kara’s inflection.  “Come on, Kara, why?”

“I don’t know.  It was awkward.  He was really happy for us.  I never really had a lot of luck dating.  I kissed a few guys, broke their noses...accidentally,” Kara added at Lena’s clear look of concern.  “My control is much, much better now than when I was newer to Earth.”

Lena nodded.

“It was nice to be seen as normal and be…”

“Accepted, respected, maybe even liked?”  As Kara’s mouth slowly opened to hang agape, Lena nodded.  “I think I could teach you lessons in this one, Miss Danvers.  I was always the youngest and brightest **and** richest of my peers, and I was always reminded by my family that a Luthor had none.  I grew up lacking in nothing that I wanted and everything that I needed, and let me tell you, that alters you on a molecular level.  I lost my father just a few years after he found me and was left with a mother that didn’t hesitate to make it clear to me that even my best efforts left me little more than a walking inefficacy.”

Kara stared, awkward at this open outpouring of honesty.  They had certainly each shared their grains of truth between glasses of wine, slices of pizza, and episodes of Kara’s favorite sitcom that she ‘couldn’t believe Lena hadn’t ever seen’.  Still, this sort of reveal was uncommon for them and was usually preceded by a loved one’s death or arrest for Lena.

Perhaps sensing the unease, Lena shifted and held herself more like a familiar Luthor.  A touch of a smirk curled her lips, and she said, “You know, there was a time there I thought perhaps I’d broken the family alliteration trend.  Mother spent so much time saying, ‘Well, that’s a disappointment’ to me, I thought Disappointment might actually be my name.”

“Lena.”  Hand around her abdomen, Kara laughed despite the subject.  It seemed to release some of the strain from the room like air out of an over-pressurized balloon.  “You’re amazing, you know?”

“Ah, out of the mouths of aliens,” Lena quipped.

“From an honest friend.”

Lena started to speak and stopped twice before saying, “I’m not good at relationships.  I don’t know how to love.”

“Well, sure you are,” Kara responded, still smiling.  “Why you—”

“No, I’m not.  My birth mother is more a concept than a memory.  Lionel was a good man.  I thought he was a good man but...He was good to me, but he’s been gone so long.  Lex loved me, but he was off to college just years after my adoption, and then he took over the business.  He started slipping, and I should have recognized it but…”  She wiped her palms across her bathrobe, up and down, a search for physical sensation over emotional.  “I graduated and would have done anything not to go back to that house with Mother.  I jumped on the opportunity to work with Jack.  His project was brilliant, and so was he.  Then...he loved me.  He didn’t love me like familial obligation.  He didn’t love me like a memory while he stared across the Metropolis skyline looking for something, someone, an obsession I could never understand.  He didn’t love me only after uttering an exhausted ‘of course’ before it.  He just...loved me.  He loved me, and I thought that was the first step in loving him back, that if he led I’d follow, and he was so good, Kara, so amazingly good, and I cared for him so deeply.  Anyone else would have loved him just as much as he loved me.”  Lena paused almost begging with her eyes for Kara to interrupt, but when the other woman only stared, Lena said, “And then I killed him.  I killed him because though Luthors might not know how to love; we definitely know how to hurt people who get too close to us.  Maybe there’s a lesson in that for you, Kara.”

“You saved my life.” Kara took one quick shuffling step closer to Lena.  “You’d never hurt me.”

“You’re a lot more durable than Jack, so good news for you.”  Lena’s smile was forced and floated an inch above painful memories.  “Luthors have a hard time killing Supers even when we try very, very hard, Kara.”

“You know you’re not—”

“I know.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me.”

“I never thought I’d hurt Jack.”

“Beth—”

“I know.”  Eyes closed, Lena nodded.  “I know.”

Dropping the newspaper she’d forgotten she was still holding, Kara pulled Lena into her arms.  “But do you believe?”

Curled into Kara, her head against the other woman’s shoulder, Lena said, “In daylight, when my mind is busy with meetings or a breakthrough, when the voices of responsibility drown out the voices of guilt...almost...almost.”

“Well, I believe in you.”  Kara squeezed just the tiniest bit tighter.  “I have enough faith for both of us to share.”

“Promise?”

“Always.”

Lena exhaled raggedly and allowed herself several moments of comfort before pushing away.  “Wow.  Don’t know where that came from.  This past week has been a rough one.”

As Lena picked up her discarded towel, Kara grabbed the newspaper and slapped it against her thigh.  “It sure has.  I should probably go shower too.  You smell incredible.”  Pinned between her own confession and Lena’s gaze, Kara amended, “I mean, you smell showered which is an incredible...I probably stink.”

Biting her lower lip, Lena studied Kara for several moments.  Surprisingly, she relaxed her face, rubbing her hair with the towel again and nonchalantly said, “It was a long trip.  I’m sure you’d enjoy a shower.”

“Yes, that.  I’m just going to…” Kara hooked a thumb toward the door as she took several large steps in that direction.

“Oh, and Kara?”  When the other woman turned back toward her, Lena grinned.  “You smell incredible too.  I was close enough to be quite certain.”

“Heh.”  Kara’s laugh was nervous as she rubbed the back of her neck.  Bobbing her head, she turned and stepped a bit too wide, connecting with the closed door.  “I should open that,” she murmured to no one in particular as she stepped back, pulling the door open and making her way into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind her.

Her back to the closed door, Kara sighed heavily.  They hadn’t made any progress in their discussion.  All they’d managed to do was agitate matters and each other a bit.  Lena’s home with three levels and five bedrooms had provided them with ample space to avoid each other when necessary.  The close quarters of sharing a room were already stirring up matters at a volatile time.

Sighing, Kara pushed off the door and headed down the hallway before stopping and saying, “Duh, clothes,” and turning back the way she came.  Hand on the doorknob, Kara popped open the door as she said, “Hey, Lena, I forgot clothes and my towel.  I was about to be running around the house—”

When a Kryptonian moved quickly, super quickly, it was like the world around them almost froze.  Sometimes super-speed was little more than an instinct.  There were occasions in Kara’s life when her survival depended on this being a reaction and not an action.  So, when Kara walked in on her best friend with a robe halfway down, Lena’s back to her, Kara didn’t consciously speed up.  Kara didn’t choose to make that moment pause with crystal clarity, make every curl of Lena’s damp hair stand out against alabaster skin.  It wasn’t Kara’s fault that she noted a constellation of freckles on Lena’s left shoulder, the other woman’s shoulder blades pressed sharply out trapped mid-motion and a hint of vertebrae of peeking between curls of hair.  Muscles in Lena’s back and arms, not overly developed but fine and taut were captured artistically in moment and memory.  Kara couldn’t even be blamed for her thoughts.  After all, she was only…erm…human?

Time resumed as Kara slowed, and Lena tossed the Bathrobe back over her shoulders.

“Sorry!  Sorry!”  Kara spun away, sputtering.  “I didn’t...I mean...Sorry.”  She studied her fumbling hands with a quiet intensity, jumping when a hand touched her elbow.

“You all right, Kara?”

“I didn’t see anything.”

“Huh...your loss.”  There was a moment of shuffling, and then Lena appeared holding Kara’s towel that had been hanging from the foot of the bed.  “Is this what you needed?”

“Thanks.”  Taking the towel, Kara sidled up to the dresser.  “I need clothes too.”

“Probably.”

Her gaze going back and forth between the piece of furniture and Lena who continued to watch her with interest, Kara wiggled the top sticky dresser drawer until, with a tug, she pulled the front of the drawer off.

“Oh, Rao.”

“You sure you’re all right?”

Holding the drawer front out by the knob, Kara said, “Sometimes it sticks.”

“Not anymore.  Hold on.”  Pulling out socks and underclothes from the top drawer, Lena handed them off to Kara who shuffled about with the newspaper and piece of wood to take them.  Then she carefully opened the next two drawers to remove a t-shirt and a pair of jeans in order.  “You need anything else?”

“Is my dignity in there?”

Lena smiled.  “I’ll look around for it while you’re in the bathroom.  If we can’t find it, you’re welcome to borrow a cup of mine.  I pack it with my pride.  Luthors always have plenty of both on hand.”

“You’re the best.”

As Kara made her way to the door again, Lena said, “Hey Kara, if you happen to find my humility lying around...Oh, what am I saying.  I lost that in the adoption.”

Smiling and feeling much less self-conscious, Kara replied, “Do you have a reason to feel humble, Miss Luthor?”

“None comes to mind.”  Lena smiled.

“Is it hard being perfect?”

“You tell me, Supergirl.”

As she felt the heat rising in the back of her neck, Kara nodded slightly and gestured toward the door with the desk drawer still in hand.  “I’m just going to…”

“Let me help you,” Lena said taking the drawer front from Kara’s hand.

“Thanks,” Kara said ducking her head and leaving the room with a bit of haste before she could do any more damage either physically or verbally.  She didn’t turn to look back as she made her way down the hallway and into the bathroom, but she could have sworn she felt the power of Lena’s gaze on her back the whole way.  Kryptonian heat vision had nothing on it.


	15. A Whale of a Tale

Once they were both dressed, and a brief discussion had been had, Kara and Lena decided to bite the bullet and tell Eliza that not only were they not engaged, they weren’t even dating.  Given how off course their friendship had gotten due to deceit, honesty seemed the best policy.  With subdued moods and a touch of nervous energy, the duo descended the stairs to be greeted by the smell of cookies baking and Eliza elbow deep in a box of Christmas ornaments.

“Oh, you’re decorating?”

Smiling up at Kara’s question, Eliza shook off the garland that clung to her pajama sleeve as she stood.  “Of course!  I’ve got kids home now.  It’s the second best Christmas present I received.  You know what the best is, don’t you?”

Eyeing each other with shared anxiety, neither Kara nor Lena responded.

“A happy daughter,” Eliza said as she advanced on Kara, hugged her, and rocked her back and forth.  Then, grabbing Lena in a hug, Eliza repeated the motion and said, “And a happy future daughter-in-law.”  Stepping back, she placed a hand on either girls’ shoulder.  “You girls, the two of you together, are the best present I could have received.  Everything in your families says you shouldn’t be a couple.  You shouldn’t even be friends.  Yet here you are beating the odds.  You’re showing that faith, and hope, and love are stronger than anything.  I don’t think I realized how much I needed that until I had you both in the kitchen with me this morning and it felt just...perfect.”  With a squeeze, Eliza sighed happily.  “Thank you for this gift.”

As Eliza smiled, both girl instinctively joined hands.

Running a hand down each of the ladies’ arms, Eliza took their free hands into hers.  Her smile faltered as she looked down, examined the hands in hers, then the ones they held clasped together as best she could, before looking back up.  “Girls, where are your rings?”

“Oh...uh...Well, actually, the things is, Eliza—”

“In negotiation,” Lena interrupted, breaking her hand free from Kara’s and combing through her hair with practiced ease.  “You see, the diamond I want for Kara is proving a bit of a sticky wicket.  I have my heart set on domestic, and as you likely know there are no real U.S. mines anymore.  Plus, it has to be perfect.”  Lena smiled up at Kara sweetly.  “Just like her.”

As Kara swallowed hard, Eliza pushed forward eagerly and asked, “What exactly are you trying to get?”

“Oh, have you heard of the Strawn-Wagner Diamond?” Lena asked casually, glancing down at her fingernails before looking up to see Eliza’s head shake.  “No?  I’m not surprised.  It’s a bit of Americana, but an amazing find nonetheless.  The Crater of Diamonds is located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas.  It closed down for commercial mining in the early 1900s, but tourists can mine there for just a few dollars.  They keep anything they find, though most find little of value.  However, in 1990, Ms. Shirley Strawn found a 3.09-carat diamond.  After cutting, it was reduced to 1.09carats.”

“Oh, well that sounds lovely,” Eliza said smiling sweetly.  

“Actually, it’s flawless,” Lena said, gaze flashing to Kara, who watched her warily, before returning to Eliza.  “It was graded a perfect 0/0/0 by the American Gem Society and graded perfect by the Gemological Institute of America.  It’s considered to be one-in-a-billion.  It’s not quite as rare as Kara, but…” As she turned toward Kara, Lena gentled.  Her smile became easy, and her voice soft as it flowed between them.  “...I suppose it will have to do.”

Kara smiled back just as sweetly, her mood so swept up in what was perhaps just Lena’s affected affections that she was slightly startled when Eliza spoke.

“What about Lena’s ring.  You are both getting one, aren’t you?”

Blinking rapidly, Kara said, “Saturn.”

“Saturn?” Eliza and Lena replied together.

“Uh...surprise?” Kara said plastering a smile on her face as she nodded at Lena, then turned to her foster mother.  “You see, Eliza, Saturn has these enormous lightning storms that generate elemental carbon.  You know like graphite.  It descends into the atmosphere, and at deep atmospheres, it’s crushed into diamonds.  So, floating in Saturn’s atmosphere in a liquid hydrogen-helium fluid there are diamonds.  The real trick is getting to them before they get closer to the core of the planet and are melted into liquid diamonds.”

“Kara, that’s fantastic!” Eliza exclaimed.

“It is rather,” Lena said without the awe and wonder in her voice.

“Yeah, well, Miss Luthor here may be all about domestic, but Supergirl is all about exotic.”  She winked at Lena.

“And how is Supergirl planning on getting this exotic diamond from Saturn?” Lena asked.

“Hmmm?”

Eyebrow raised, Lena crossed her arms.  “Unless my brother’s research on your cousin’s abilities was lacking, and I find that laughable, Supers still require oxygen.  How exactly are you planning on getting there?”  She smiled a bit wickedly.  “Exactly how long can you hold your breath?”

Glancing back to Eliza nervously, Kara shook her head and said, “I have a friend.”

“A friend with a spaceship?”

“Well, sort of but...I have a friend of a friend who’s capable of interstellar travel.  He can go to Saturn for me and bring back diamonds, so we can find something that will be worthy of you.”

“You have a friend who can...Who?” Lena demanded.

Hands on her hips and head tilted back, Kara said, “Green Lantern.  His ring is amazing.  With it, he can travel through space, solid objects, time, and even dimensions.  He’s a friend of my cousin Kal.  He’ll do this for me, no problem.”

“You have a friend who can travel through time?  You have a friend who can travel through **dimensions**?” Lena asked.

“ **A** friend?”  Kara smirked.  “Lena, I have friends.  Luthors may have money, but Supers have power.”  Kara held up an arm and flexed her bicep.

“Mmmmm.”  Squeezing Kara’s muscle, Lena said, “Those cardigans certainly do hide a lot, don’t they, Miss Danvers?”

Before Kara could respond, a buzzer went off in the kitchen and Eliza turned and said, “That would be the next batch of cookies!”  She turned and fled the room.

As soon as she was gone, Kara and Lena wheeled on each other.

“A perfect diamond?!”

“A diamond from Saturn?!”

“You can’t just make up stuff like that, Lena,” Kara complained.  “She can google that, you know.  In five minutes, she’ll find out it’s fake.”

“She would if it were fake.  It’s very real, and unlike a diamond from another planet, I could make a few phone calls and have it here by the end of the week!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh, don’t you try me, little miss, ‘I know a superhero who can get me space diamonds’”, Lena said making air quotes.  “You have no idea how ridiculous that sounded.”

“It only sounded ridiculous because you only like to hear the sound of your own voice.  I do know the Green Lantern, and there are diamonds in Saturn’s atmosphere, and I can make a phone call and get him to grab me some, and if you keep pushing me—”

“Girls?” Eliza walked back in from the kitchen, looking down at a long, narrow piece of paper.  “Will you two do me a favor?”

With hands clasped together and matching smiles, Kara and Lena nodded.

“I was not expecting to be feeding Kara this week.  The downstairs freezer was unplugged, so I plugged it back in this morning when I saw the car out there.  I think I have maybe one bag of chips in the house unless Kara ate them already when I wasn’t looking.”

“Not yet.”

“Well, that’s a Christmas miracle.  I made up a list of what I’ll need to cook and bake for a few days.  I don’t know how long you two intend to stay.”  Eliza waited expectantly.

“Actually, Eliza...”  Kara looked over at Lena who nodded encouragingly.  “...We don’t have any plans as to when we’ll be leaving.  J’onn is covering things in the city for me.  Lena and I both plan to work remotely for a little while.  If there’s an emergency with either of Lena’s companies or with the world in general, we’ll have to go.  Otherwise, you could be stuck with us for a while.”

“Really?”

Kara nodded.  “We’re on vacation.”

“Oh, my.  I wasn’t expecting—”

“We can get a hotel,” Lena offered.  “We can go anywhere in the world, literally, anywhere.  We don’t want to be an imposition.  We can leave right now.”  Lena backed up, trying to make her way to the stairs, but her hand was still entwined with Kara’s, and it wasn’t being released.

“Lena.” With a disapproving frown, Eliza approached the young woman and watched her for several seconds before hugging her again and assuring, “That’s nonsense.  You’re family.  You can’t possibly leave.  You are home.”

“I…” Lena didn’t manage another word as the backs of her eyes burned and her throat constricted.

Finally letting loose Lena’s hand, Kara clasped her own together in front of herself and watched the other two women with a smile.

Stepping back and immediately returning to her grocery list as if nothing truly meaningful had just happened, Eliza flipped it back and forth in her hand as she examined both sides.  “All right, well this will have to do for now.  Kara, I trust to you add to this in any way you want.  Lena, I’m not really sure what you eat.”

“Gross green stuff.”

“It’s called food, Kara.  Eating something that isn’t a blend of bleached white flour, fats, and sugar wouldn’t kill you, you know.”

“I don’t know, so let’s not take any chances,” Kara said as she shrugged and then plucked the grocery list from Eliza’s hands.  “We’ll take care of the grocery shopping.  You need anything else while we’re out?”

“Something to hang the outdoor lights?  It’s been years since those have been up.”

“Sure thing.”  Studying the list, Kara said, “That’s a lot of potatoes and applesauce.  I like them both, so no complaints, but any special reason?

“Latkes.”

“Yes!”  One fist above her head, Kara jumped nearly high enough to touch the ceiling before she lightly touched down again.

“Excited?” Lena asked.

“You will be too once you taste them.”  Smiling sheepishly back at Eliza, Kara nodded once.  “Well, I guess we’ll just hit the grocery store then maybe the hardware store if we need to for the light hangers.”

“What’s wrong, Kara?” Eliza asked.

“Nothing?” Kara’s voice was a bit high-pitched.

“Kara.” Stepping forward, Eliza ran a thumb between Kara’s brows.  “You can lie to me, but the crinkle cannot.  What’s wrong?”

“Darn crinkle.”  Kara rubbed the spot between her eyes.

Stepping forward, Lena said, “Dr. Danvers, Eliza, the thing is—”

“The top drawer on my dresser broke.  We’ll get something to fix that while we’re at the hardware store.”  Kara’s gaze flashed over to meet Lena’s briefly.

“You broke your dresser?” Eliza asked.

“It just broke.”

“It just broke?” Eliza asked, clearly not convinced.  Her gaze shifted to Lena.

“Spontaneously,” the young Luthor confirmed.  “What is workmanship in this country coming to?”

“I see.”  Arms crossed, Eliza smiled.  “Well, seeing as how you have an eye-witness to this spontaneous furniture deterioration, Kara, I suppose I should be grateful that you girls got here when you did to notice and repair it.”

“You’re very welcome, Eliza.  I suspect you’ll find us here at just the right moment for a number of timely household repairs.  Lucky you.”  Lena smiled.

“I suspect you’re right.  Well, I’ll try and test all of the lights while you’re gone, so we’ll know if we need to replace any of those.  I’ll keep baking while you’re out.”

“You’re the best, Eliza,” Kara said hugging her foster mother.  “Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.  Be safe.”

“We will,” Lena assured.  As they stepped outside, she added, “What did we just do?”

“It could be worse.  We could be on our way to pick out cards for invitations,” Kara said.

“Or to taste all the different kinds of cake options for our make-believe wedding.”

As Kara stumbled over her own feet, she asked, “What did you just say?”

“Just get in the car, Kara.”

“Wait, they let you taste the cakes beforehand?”

“Get in the car!”

 

<><> 

 

Kara and Lena ended up at Vons grocery, one of the large chain stores, after Kara drove by Whole Foods despite Lena’s repeated pointing, calling of her name, sleeve-tugging, and eventual sad sigh.

“What’s wrong with Whole Foods?” Lena asked as she closed her car door with a bit of extra force for emphasis.

Walking toward the grocery story, Kara replied, “It has weird stuff in it.  I need food I can eat.”

“Have you actually been in a Whole Foods, Miss Danvers?”

Nodding emphatically, Kara replied, “I went with Maggie.  Like half of the ice cream was vegan, and she bought me peanut butter that was just squashed peanuts, no sugar or even salt.  Lena, if I wanted that I’d just squish up my own peanuts.”  Kara slapped her hands together, making both Lena and herself jump from the near-thunderous noise that couldn’t possibly be passed off as a normal clap.  After looking around to make sure no one else had noticed, she whispered, “Squishing stuff is the best part.”

“Hrmmmm.”  Lena held out a hand.  “Give me the car keys.  I’m driving back.”

“Why?  I’m a good driver.  You said I could drive.”

“I said you could drive here, and you did.  You also ignored my shopping request.”  Wiggling her fingers, Lena said, “Hand them over.”

“But I know the area, and we still need to go to the hardware store.”

“Because you broke your dresser.”

“Mean.”  As Kara dropped the keys in Lena’s hand, she asked, “You didn’t talk to Alex about my driving, did you?”

“No, should I have?”

“Hi, there.  Happy Holidays.”  Kara smiled as they passed an elderly couple who were leaving the grocery store as they were coming in.  She pulled out a cart from the row and pushed it over to Lena, then grabbed another for herself.  Launching into grocery store dialogue, Kara ignored Lena’s question.  “Okay, I’ll take root vegetables, any canned foods, frozen foods, and beverages in my cart.  You can take vegetables, chips, pasta, and baking supplies.”  Pulling out the list, Kara examined it on both sides briefly.  “We might have more room in your cart.  Are you okay with taking meat?”

“Do we really need two carts?  How many guests is your foster mother planning on having over?”

“Some folks will probably stop in, and Eliza will want to bake things and drop them off with people.  Mainly, it will just be the three of us.”  Without further explanation, Kara pushed her cart through the double doors that entered the main shopping area of the store.

“You know, the store isn’t that far from the house.  I didn’t mean to upset you by taking the car keys back.  You’re welcome to drive again if you want, Kara.  You can come back into town and shop anytime.”

“You’re the best.”  Kara beamed.

“I just mean, we could make do with one cart full of groceries, don’t you think?”

“No.  This is how Alex and I always used to do it.  I’d get the heavy cart of stuff, and she’d get the less heavy cart of stuff.  She got all huffy and wanted to do it the other way once, and we had to switch when she took a turn too wide halfway around the store and knocked over a pickles display.  She was lucky no one was watching and that I have…” Kara leaned close so she could inconspicuously add, “Really good reflexes.”

Lena grinned.  “Nearly a cleanup in aisle five, huh?”

“Yeah.  Oooh, marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers...s’mores!”  Kara grabbed each item, two of the multi-pack of chocolate bars and threw them into Lena’s cart; then she went back for a second pack of marshmallows as she said, “These are for in the car.  Make sure they go into the front with us.”

“You’re going to eat in my car?”

“I won’t make a mess.”  Making no note of Lena’s look of skepticism, Kara pushed her cart into the produce section.  “Okay, lots of green stuff here for you.  I’m going to get some potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions.  I’ll...where are you going?”

Pointing, Lena said, “To get some kale and broccoli.”

“First of all, ewww.  Secondly, you just passed it.”

Stopped several displays down, Lena gestured at the kale.  “This is organic.”

Kara squinted.  “And like twice the price.  It can’t be that much better for you.”

“You pay for quality.  It’s even more important in root vegetables since they sit in the soil, and chemicals and pesticides leach into them.  You should buy organic vegetables.”

“I’m not paying twice as much for them.”

“I’ll buy them.”

Head shaking, Kara said, “Lena no.  I can buy my own food.”

“But I want the organic vegetables.  If I’m demanding certain things, I should be willing to pay for them.”

“No, Lena, I can—”

“Just the vegetables, Kara.  You can pay for whatever...soda you want.  I won’t drink that.  Let me buy the vegetables.  Deal?”

Kara seemed to consider it for a moment, then stuck out her hand.  “Deal.  I need a lot of potatoes, though.  I mean, a **lot** of potatoes.  Eliza’s latkes are out of this world.”

Letting go of Kara’s hand, Lena asked, “Literally?”

“No.”  Kara laughed, adjusting her glasses.  “I think potatoes only grow on Earth.”

“Well, good reason to keep the planet around.”

“Yeah, it has a few things I really love...like...things I...I’ll go get the potatoes,” Kara said turning her cart away suddenly as she went off on a quest for tubers.

After produce was a natural section where Lena got some nuts, seeds, granola, and quinoa.  Kara examined each container with growing unease.  The next aisle was prepared foods.  Kara got several multi-packs of macaroni and cheese, and packages of noodles in cheese and butter sauce that just needed to be microwaved.  It was Lena’s turn to cast a suspicious eye on her friend’s food choices.

“Happy Holidays,” Kara said to two young men in aisle three who looked up from soup can options as the duo walked by.  The men smiled, responding in kind before returning to their discussion of which brand to buy.

In the ethnic food section, Lena put a few things in her cart, including a small bag of brown rice, before joining Kara who had gigantic jars of pasta sauce, five-pound bags of pasta, and a bag of rice that looked like it belonged in a Chinese food restaurant.

Lena eyed Kara’s food cart appraisingly.  “You know, food shopping with you is an eye-opening event.  I always thought you could eat a lot, but I feel like I don’t know the half of it.  Exactly how many calories do you consume a day?”

“Well, it all depends on how much effort I have to exert but...about 10,000?”

“Ten…!?” Blinking, Lena was speechless.

Gently squeezing Lena’s arm, Kara asked, “Are you all right?  Your face is sort of doing a thing.  It’s like a...Well, it’s more like a lack of a thing.  You’re not having some kind of episode, are you?”

With a small laugh, Lena shook her head.  “Not, it’s fine.  That’s just the face I make when I’m refraining from uttering a series of profane curses.  I’m sure my board of directors is quite familiar with it.”

“Oh...uh…”  Picking up a jar of something from Lena’s cart as way of a subject change, Kara asked, “What’s this?”

“Hoisin sauce.  It’s a plum sauce.”

“Oh, sure.  What are you going to eat it with?”

Picking up a piece of produce, Lena held it out.

Frowning, Kara said, “Lena, something’s wrong with your lettuce.”

“That’s because it’s a cabbage, Kara.”

“Oh, well, that’s even worse.  You eat cabbage?”

“You eat cabbage.”

Frown deepening, Kara replied, “No, I don’t.”

“You want to bet?”

“I know what I eat.  I’m very good at it.”

Placing the cabbage back in the cart, Lena asked, “So, that’s a yes?”

“Sure, what do you want to bet?”

“A million dollars.”

“Lena.”  With a sigh, Kara shook her head, but she smiled.  “How about five dollars or winner gets to choose the movie tonight or something.  I don’t have a million dollars.”

“You will.”  Lena smirked.

Kara’s eyes narrowed, and she hesitated but asked, “When?”

One eyebrow raised as she pushed her cart down the aisle and away from Kara, Lena replied, “After the wedding.  Come along, Mrs. Luthor.”

Kara did not swallow her tongue, but it was close.

Lena and Kara continued aisle to aisle, each making their selections and gathering the items from the grocery list.  They smiled, laughed, and their easy banter continued.  It was more like the Kara and Lena of old, except now there were fewer secrets between them.  The bandaid had been ripped off with pieces of scab and hair along with it.  There had been pain, and time was needed to let the wound heal, but they seemed to be on their way now.

As they moved down another aisle, both of their carts more than halfway filled, Kara said, “Ho, ho, ho!  Merry Christmas!  I love your sweater.”

“Thanks.” The man wearing the green sweater with the reindeer, bright red nose on the front, smiled back at Kara.

“Does the nose light up?” She asked.

His smile grew as he reached under the front hem of the sweater, fiddled with something, and then WHAM!  Not only did the nose light up red and bright, but small green LEDs around the collar and sleeves turned on.

Gasping as her hands landed on her cheeks, Kara turned to her right.  “Lena, we need to get—”

“No.”

“But it’s the most amazing—”

“No.”

“Aw, come on.  Where’s your holiday spirit?”

Eyes shifting from Kara to the now glowing man, Lena said, “Excuse me, but do you know where the eggnog is?”

Smiling, he said, “Sure, that would be aisle twelve.”

“Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you and your wardrobe.  Come along, Kara.  It looks like my holiday spirits are in aisle twelve.”

“That’s not…”  A touch of a whine escaped into Kara’s voice as she pushed her cart after Lena’s.  “That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh, I know what you meant, Kara.  I haven’t spent a Christmas sober in years, and this doesn’t feel like the year to start.”

“But Lena...Reindeer!” Kara exclaimed, her mood instantly bright again as they passed two children in a car-cart made for kids.  They looked to be an older sister and younger brother, perhaps four and two years of age, and they wore matching brown hoodies with antlers.  Kara smiled at the couple behind the cart who were likely mom and dad.  “They’re adorable.  Prancer and Dancer?”

The woman laughed.  “It felt like that when I was pregnant.  Luckily the antlers come out after their births.”

“Merry Christmas.”  Kara waved.

“Merry Christmas,” the couple replied, waving back as they walked away.

As they turned down the next aisle, and Kara pushed her cart next to Lena’s, the Luthor chuckled.  “Small towns indeed.  Do you know everyone here?”

“Hmmm?”

Lena gestured back behind her with her head.  “Like those people with the kids and everyone else to whom you’ve spoken.  I’ve lived in National City for over a year, and outside of employees, and now your friends, I don’t think I know as many people as you’ve greeted since we’ve walked in here.”

“Oh.”  Kara chuckled.  “I don’t know any of them.  I was just being friendly.”

Tensing and stopping her forward motion, Lena grabbed Kara’s forearm.  “Wait, are you telling me we’ve been talking to...strangers?”

“Uh, I guess.  They’re not strangers anymore though.  We talked to them, so now they’re acquaintances.”  Kara beamed, obviously proud of her reasoning.

Releasing Kara’s arm to run a hand through her hair, Lena blinked rapidly.  “Good Lord, Kara.  What are you thinking?  Is this some sort of invulnerability thing?  Is that why you think it’s okay to speak to strangers?”

“What are you talking about?  I’m just being friendly.”

“Friendly?  Sounds more like being foolish to me.  If some stranger were sitting in the back of their shady van and offering you candy to get in, would you?”

Leaning toward her friend, a very serious look on her face, Kara asked, “What kind of candy?”

“Ugh!”  Pushing her cart forward, Lena said, “And now we know how Cadmus defeats Supergirl.  Where the hell is that eggnog?  I think I’ll need a double.”

 

<><> 

 

After buying groceries, the duo headed off to the hardware store.  They’d need wood for the front and sides of the drawer where Kara had broken the joints, and they’d need new stain and wood glue.  The hardware was salvageable, and there were some screws and such of varying lengths in the workshop at home.  When they arrived at the store, more of a Mom and Pops place but Kara promised it sold everything that they needed, they decided to divide and conquer.  Lena went off to get glue and stain, and Kara went to get the oak boards cut to length.

With a bright smile on her face, she approached the man in the green apron and said, “Excuse me.  I need three boards to repair a dresser drawer that…”  As he turned, she stiffened.

“Well, if it isn’t Danvers the younger.” He said with a sly smile.

“Jake,” she replied coolly.

Jake had been the starting quarterback and captain of the football team when Kara went to high school in Midvale.  He had a bad case of ‘big man in a small town’ syndrome.  He was a bully with little to show for his life except being able to throw a football further and more accurately than others in their town at that time...present company excluded though Kara kept a low profile.  Their interactions had been few and far between and poor on the few occasions their paths had crossed.  Though Kara got along with almost everyone save supervillains, she did make exceptions.

“Someone grew up...nice.”  Jake leered.

Instead of rising to his bait, Kara said, “I need some wood.”

Jake guffawed.  “I thought you’d never ask.  Your place or mine.”

“Um...my place?” Kara’s brow furrowed as she held up a piece of paper covered in measurements.  “I have a broken dresser, and I need some wood for it.”

“Oh, so you need some wood in your bedroom, is that it, Kara?”

“I guess.  Why are you saying it like that?”

Forearms on the counter, Jake said, “Hey, you’re the one who came into my store asking me to whip out wood and get it to your bedroom.  I’m just clarifying.”

“I didn’t say whip out.  I just said…”  Sighing, Kara adjusted her glasses.  “Look, can you get me what I need or not?”

“Oh, I can get you what you need, babe.  I always could.  It’s nice that you’re finally asking so directly instead of just staring at me from across the lunchroom.”

“The word you’re looking for is glaring,” Kara corrected.

“Whatever, Danvers.  Don’t tell me you don’t want this.”  He said flexing muscles that though still present were no longer in their prime.

“I don’t want this.  I want some pieces of wood to fix a broken drawer at my house.”  She dropped the list on the counter.  “Now, are you going to help me, or should I go to Home Depot?”

Jake snorted.  “Homo Depot?  That sounds about right for your family.  How’s that sister of yours anyway?”

Kara’s hands immediately bunched into fists, and she had to force herself to relax consciously.  Luckily, a voice from behind drew her attention away.

“All right, I have the stain that matches this drawer front and some wood glue.  I know you said we had plenty of wood screws at the house, but I picked up a few just to be on the safe side.  How are you coming along with the lumber?”  Lena laid her finds on the counter as she looked back and forth between Kara and Jake.

Jake straightened, then pressed a hand on the counter, smiling at Lena, “Hey, I’m Jake.”

As her gaze shifted from him to Kara’s anxious state and back again, she pointed at the tag on his chest.  “Thus says your apron.  Are you getting our lumber?”

“Oh, you want my wood too?  Good thing I have enough for the both of you.”  He leered again, eyebrows moving up and down while he nodded.

“Ah, now I see.”  Lena turned, placing a hand in the middle of Kara’s back.  “Kara, darling perhaps you’d be kind enough to introduce me to your ... friend.”

Kara’s frown stayed plastered in place for a moment but suddenly dropped away as she stepped closer to Lena, sliding an arm around the other woman’s shoulder.  “Of course…babe.  Lena, this is Jake.  He uh...works here?  Jake, this is my fiancée Lena Luthor.  She, well, she’s amazing and my best friend.  She’s pretty much perfect.”

With a light laugh, Lena placed a kiss on Kara’s cheek that brought a touch of color to the other woman’s face.  She rested her head on Kara’s shoulder and said, “She’s also the luckiest woman in the world.”

“Oh, yeah, I read about that.”  Jake nodded, his voice sounding as if he were stretching the resources of his mind to pull up that information.

“You read?” Kara asked full of innocence.  

Both Jake and Lena turned to her in surprise, Lena failing, though she didn’t seem to try very hard, to keep the smile off of her face.

“Hey, I read!” Jake argued.

“Jake, you got an F minus on your English Lit final paper.  I didn’t even know an F minus was a possible grade.  How is that possible?”

Muscles in his neck tensing as his face darkened, Jake pointed accusingly at Kara.  “You know how!  You know I got screwed, and you know who did it!  That wasn’t my fault!”

“Jake, take some responsibility for your mistakes,” Kara said gently.  “Not taking responsibility is what got you into that mess, wasn’t it?”

“An F minus?  What’s the story behind that?” Lena asked.

Eyes flashing in warning, Jake snatched the paper with the measurements for the wood from the counter.  “I’ll go cut your wood.  I’ll be right back.”

Jake had gone about ten feet away when Lena said, “Oh, and Jake?”  When he turned, she said, “I do hope you’re better at math than at English Lit.  Remember, measure twice, cut once.”

Face somehow managing to turn a shade darker red, he spun away again and stomped off.

When he was out of sight, Lena turned back to Kara as she stepped away and asked, “Okay, fill me in on the story behind the F minus.”

“It’s about what you’d expect,” Kara said with a shrug.  “Jake was a bully.  He was bullying kids into doing his work for him.  One of the other kids found out about it and stepped in, offered to do Jake’s English Lit final paper for him because he was such a ‘hero to the school’.  She was a great student, great writer, and he took her up on it.  He got the grade back and went ballistic, but she wasn’t someone he could bully.”

Arms crossed, Lena smiled.  “And was her last name Danvers?”

Smiling back, Kara said, “Yes, but her first name was Alex.  My sister has always been a hero.  Alex stood her ground against Jake, refusing to be bullied and refusing to back down against the whole football team when he wasn’t able to go to states.  She said he didn’t deserve it if he had to cheat his way there.  Then…”  Looking up toward the ceiling, Kara’s face became unimaginably bright.  “Alex made copies of the report she had done for Jake and passed them all around the school.  It had his name on it, and he became the laughing stock of the school.”

“What was the report?” Lena asked eagerly.

“It was on Moby Dick,” Kara replied.  “But Alex wrote it on the Disney cartoon version of Pinocchio.”

Lena blinked, momentarily stunned, before she managed a garbled, “What?”

Still smiling brightly, Kara nodded.  “The opening line of his report was, ‘Call me Geppetto’.”

The sound of Lena’s melodic laughter could be heard ringing throughout the store.


	16. Mustang Sally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not a huge fan of the characterization of Eliza in canon so...
> 
> Apparently, I'm also not a huge fan of chapter notes. - D.K.G.

Sleepy-headed and a bit rumpled, Lena smiled as she stumbled in silk pajamas into the kitchen.  “Morning.”

“Morning,” Eliza and Kara said together as they smiled back at her, both dressed and ready for the morning.  Eliza was sipping a cup of coffee and doing a crossword puzzle in the newspaper.  Kara was just finishing up a big plate of waffles and sausages, a touch of whip cream on her upper lip.

“Someone slept in,” Kara’s smile grew.  “I didn’t even hear you come to bed last night.  How late were you up?”

“Early,” Lena said, running her hand through her hair.

“Coffee?” Eliza asked as she made her way to cupboard.

“You are a saint,” Lena said in the way of response, pointing at Eliza who chuckled as she took down a mug.

“Why were you up so late?”

Using her thumb to wipe the whipped cream off Kara’s upper lip, Lena examined it for a moment, held it out for Kara to see, then sucked it off her own thumb before taking the stool next to Kara.  “Trying to tie up some end-of-year matters with China.  You know how that goes.”

“Why would I…?”  Kara’s gaze wandered down to where Lena dipped a finger in the whipped cream on her plate, then lifted that digit to between red lips.  With a swallow, Kara began again.  “Why would I know how that goes?  Is this L-Corp business?”

Lena nodded, a finger returning to Kara’s plate.  “Sam has been handling it, but between her deserving to spend some holiday time with Ruby, and one of the people on the other side of this deal driving her nearly to the point of violence, I thought I should step in.  Plus, it’s good for me to keep myself in the business end of things with L-Corp, so I don’t lose my edge.”

“Well, it’s nice for you to give Sam a break so she can spend some of the Christmas break with Ruby, but I think you’re exaggerating about her temper.  Sam is incredibly gentle.  She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.”

Finger in her mouth, Lena’s eyebrows rose before her finger dipped back to the whipped cream lying along the edge of Kara’s plate once again.  “You’d think that, and it’s usually true, but she has a temper.”  Scooping up a bit of whip cream, Lena pointed with it.  “I know all about tempers, too.  I’m a Luthor.”  When Lena tried to put the finger in her mouth, Kara caught her wrist.

“Why don’t I get you a waffle?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You say that, but you obviously are.”

“I’m not.”

“Lena.”  Kara sighed.  “You keep eating some of my whipped cream.  You must be hungry.  I’ll get you a waffle.”

“I’m sorry.  Did my eating your whipped cream bother you?”

“Bother?  Uh...no?”

Brows furrowing together, Lena said, “You sound uncertain.”

“No, no it did not bother me.  It’s just that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you should eat.”

“Kara, I can’t eat on an empty stomach.”

“...what?”

“Here’s your coffee,” Eliza said sliding the mug across to Lena.  “Sorry, that took a bit.  I’m used to living alone, so I have one of those one cup coffee pod thingies.”

“Canonized,” Lena said with a smile at Eliza as she wrapped her free hand around the warm mug and gently took her other hand back from Kara, licking whipped cream that had begun to melt halfway down her finger.

“Strawberries!”  Kara jumped away averting her eyes and making her way quickly across the kitchen.  “Lena, we bought strawberries yesterday.  You can have those for breakfast.”

“Kara, I don’t—”

“Eliza, tell her breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Kara said as she took the strawberries out of the refrigerator.

“Lena, breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Eliza said sternly.  Then leaning closer with a smile on her face, she whispered to Lena, “And according to Kara so is second breakfast, brunch, snack, lunch, second snack, supper which is different from dinner, actual dinner, second dinner—”

“I can hear you both!”  Kara said as she put out the cutting board with a bit too much force.  “I can hear your snickering, Lena!”

“I’m bonding with Eliza,” Lena replied, squeezing the other woman’s arm, then whispering back, “What about dessert?”

“Oh, I don’t think dessert is a meal, dear,” Eliza whispered.

“It is the way she eats it,” Lena said, speaking into her coffee.

“Anyway!” Kara pulled out a knife, flipping it overhead and snagging it upon descent before turning and flashing Lena a smile.  “Kryptonian reflexes.”

“Show off.”  Lena smiled back, watching eagerly.

“Lena lets me play sou chef, Eliza.”

“You let her in the kitchen for something besides eating?”

Still smiling, Lena nodded.  “She does dishes.”

“You’ve housebroken her?” Hands in the air in an obvious sign of surrender, Eliza stepped away.  “That’s it.  She’s yours now.  You have to keep her.”

Smiling at each other, Lena and Kara looked away shyly.

“I suppose that was the plan anyway, wasn’t it?” Eliza asked.

Lena gave a little hum of agreement as her gaze met Eliza’s.

“Okay, one bowl of strawberries, coming up.”  The knife in one hand, Kara moved so fast she was just a blur.  In perhaps three seconds about eight of the strawberries had been cored and quartered and were now in a bowl.  She moved the cutting board to the trash to dispose of the stems.

“Did you dull my knife?”

“No.”

“Did you damage my cutting board, Kara?”

“No, Eliza.  I’m careful now.”

“Watch her in the kitchen, Lena.  The first year she was here she did so much damage around the house we told people we had termites.”

Moaning, Kara wandered over to the kitchen island where Eliza and Lena were chatting.  “I was thirteen, Eliza.  I was new to Earth, and things were hard then.”  She pouted.  “I’m an adult now.”

Putting her hand on the other side of Kara’s face, she leaned closer and kissed Kara’s cheek.  “And still my little girl.”

“Awww.”  Lena smiled.

“Don’t start.” Kara pointed at Lena.  “This awaits you, Miss Luthor.”

The phone rang, and Eliza turned toward the living room.  “Excuse me, girls.  I’ll be right back.”

Lena watched briefly as Eliza left, then smiling, turned to Kara and said, “A kind maternal figure that cares for her children instead of using them as pawns to further whatever scheme she has toward her ultimate dystopian future?  Bring it on Danvers family.”

“Right, I keep forgetting our point of comparison here.”  Sliding the bowl of strawberries in front of Lena and pulling her own plate across in front of her, Kara said, “Will you eat these please and no trouble?  You really should eat breakfast, Lena.  It will get you off to a better start.”

“Fine.  I’ll eat them with no complaints on one condition.”

Raising her fork to her mouth, Kara asked, “What’s that?”

“Get me the whipped cream?”

Kara’s fork fell back to her plate with a clatter.

In the living room, phone to her ear, Eliza said, “Danvers residence.”

_“Mom, hey, it’s me.”_

“Alex!  How is my beautiful girl?!”

Alex laughed.   _“I’m fine, Mom.  How are you?”_

“Fine, I’m fine.  How’s Maggie?”

_“She’s fine too.  I don’t think we’ll get down there for Christmas, lot’s going on in the city right now, but after the new year, all right?”_

“That sounds great, sweetheart.”

_“Hey, what’s going on with your cellphone?  Did you lose it?”_

“It’s making scientific history.”

_“Excuse me?”_

“Okay, so there was this experiment with...Alex, it’s a very interesting experiment, but if I tell you about it, we’ll just start talking about the convention.  I have a ton to tell you.  Do you want to hear all about a bioengineering convention?”

Alex’s voice came back a bit breathlessly over the phone.   _“Yes.”_

“Okay, but is that the only reason you called because once you and I start talking science, we won’t talk about anything else.”

_“Oh, good point.  Actually, before you tell me about the convention, I wanted to check up on Kara and Lena.”_

“Hold on.”  Going to the kitchen door, Eliza looked in on the girls.  Lena was talking excitedly, a strawberry on a fork which she finally put in her mouth, and Kara was watching the motion of the strawberry, rapt.  Making her way over to the bottom of the stairs, Eliza sat on the next to the lowest step and said, “Okay, they’re not paying me any mind.  Lena is talking and eating, and Kara is watching Lena eat.  You know the way she does that.”

There was a slight pause.   _“The way Kara watches Lena eat?”_

“Well, she seems to watch her do most things.  It’s adorable.  The eating thing is just...Alex, it’s none of my business, but maybe you could talk to them.  They’re adults.  I’m an adult.  They’re engaged for goodness’ sake.  They don’t have to abstain just because they’re here.”

_“Uh...Lena isn’t drinking while she’s there?”_

Eliza snorted.  “No, she’s drinking.  The girls went shopping yesterday and came back with eggnog, a few bottles of hard liquor, and an amazing selection of wines.  I tried to ask Kara about it, but she just said, ‘Ask Lena.’ before I even got the question out.  You and your future sister-in-law get along well, don’t you?”

Laughing nervously, Alex said, _“Yeah, sister-in-law.  Mom, about that—”_

“Oh, don’t worry, Kara told me that you didn’t know anything about it.  You’re not in trouble...this time.”  Eliza smiled.  “Honestly, I’m not at all mad, Alex.  Lena is sweet and so bright.  She and I have had a lovely time talking, and your sister obviously adores her.  They seem so happy together.  They can stay here as long as they want.  They can move in.  They can raise my grandchildren here.  They can—”

_“Mom, slow down.  Slow down.  I think you’re putting a whole row of carts before the horse here.”_

“You’re right.  I’m just so excited.  Both of my girls are getting married.”  Eliza beamed.  “Maggie’s family was so unsupportive of who she is, but she chose happiness instead of living a lie, and then she found her way to you.  Lena’s family is so...ugh.  I don’t even have words for what they are, but they’re nothing like her.  She’s chosen to make a better world for everyone.  She doesn’t define people by their differences.  It’s like the family we made when we took Kara in, and now you girls are making a new family of your own.”

_“Because you and Dad taught us how.  You taught us to judge people by what they did, not any other arbitrary factor.  You showed us that family wasn’t blood; it was love.  You and Dad were always amazing examples of the best this world had to offer.”_

“Oh, Alex.”

 _“I mean that.  Kara and I are good people because of the parents in our lives.  Maggie and Lena are good people despite theirs.”_  Clearing her throat, Alex said, _“That went a bit off course.”_

“This season brings it out in folks.”

_“It does.  So, Kara and Lena are doing well?  They’re happy?  They’re happily…engaged?”_

“Adorably,” Eliza responded, but a hint of worry crossed her face.  “Is there something I should know about?”

 _“Oh, no, Mom.  It’s just Kara kept this whole relationship with Lena a secret for so long, and then the whole engagement came out of the blue.  I’m used to her telling me pretty much everything, and now I just…”_ Air blew into the phone.   _“I’m shocked.  Yup, I’m honestly shocked that Kara would keep all of these secrets from me.  I respect her right to do so, the little sneak.  She’s better at it than I thought, but I’m shocked.”_

“Maybe your sister needed some privacy from you.”

_“Um maybe?  I just worry.  I’m a worrier.  Maybe keep me in the loop just a touch?”_

“Alex, give your sister her privacy.  She’s an adult.  She’s fine.  She doesn’t need you looking over her shoulder while she’s giggling with her fiancée.”

_“Yeah but...she giggles?”_

“Alex, they both do.  Who knew that Lena Luthor, ruthless CEO and billionaire, could snuggle up on a couch watching Christmas movies with your sister and giggling?”

_“You’re kidding.”_

“I think it was Kara singing the Claymation songs with such glee in the different voices that did her in.  I got very…” Eliza faked a yawn.  “...sleepy early on and went to bed, leaving the girls their s’mores and movies.  I was worried I might find them curled up asleep on the couch together this morning, but apparently, Kara went to bed first, and Lena stayed up into the early morning hours working.  Tough job.”

_“But before then she was giggling on the couch with Kara?”_

“You sound pretty happy about that.”

_“I’m just...uh, well, sure.  Baby sister and future sister-in-law right?”_

“Are you sure there’s nothing you aren’t telling me?”

 _“Who, me?  I don’t keep secrets from you.”_  Clearing her throat, Alex said, _“So, tell me about that bioengineering convention.  What did I miss out on?”_

“Oh, Alex, it was fascinating…”

 

<><> 

 

About twenty minutes later, Eliza wandered back into the kitchen.  Dishes were being washed, and there was the smell of something baking coming from the oven.

“What happened in here?”

“Chocolate chip banana nut bread,” Kara replied with a smile.  “Lena said I should eat some fruit.”

“We compromised,” Lena added, towel drying a large mixing bowl and handing it off to Kara to put away.

“Compromise is a critical part of a successful marriage,” Eliza said, not noticing the way both girls froze for a moment at her words before continuing in their motions.  “So, Alex sends both of you her love.  Do you girls know what she’s hiding?”  She watched them both cagily.

“Alex is hiding something?” Kara looked over at Lena, brows furrowing.  “Did she say anything to you?”

“I haven’t spoken to Alex since we left National City,” Lena replied with a head shake before turning to Eliza and asking, “What did she say?”

“Nothing but...she was acting suspiciously.”

“Eliza, she’s a secret government agent that works for an agency the government officially denies exists.  Isn’t suspicious actions in her job description?” Lena asked.

“Yes, but this was more like sneaking out after curfew suspicious.”

“Alex has a curfew?”

When Lena looked at her, Kara shrugged and said, “Don’t tell Cadmus.  It could be the downfall of the DEO.”

“Crap!” Hand over her mouth, Lena’s eyes moved back and forth.

Gently squeezing Lena’s arm, Kara asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lowering her arm, Lena said, “I forgot to send my mother a Christmas card.  You don’t have her address, do you?”

“Why you…Ahhh!” Picking Lena up, Kara twirled her around while Lena yelped.  “You scared me!”

“Okay, you two.  No roughhousing in the kitchen.”

“Sorry.”

“Yes, sorry, Eliza,” Lena added as Kara placed her back on the floor.

“Hmmm.” With a barely contained smile, Eliza again asked, “So, no clue why Alex is setting off my mother detector?”

Together, the girls shrugged.

“Fine, but I think all three of you are up to something, and I’m going to keep an eye on this until I get to the bottom of it.”

“And on that note, I’m going to find us a Christmas tree,” Kara said.  “Want to come with me before Eliza breaks out the rubber hoses?”

“Rubber hoses?  Wow, this keeps getting more and more like a Luthor Christmas.”

Pointing a thumb at Lena, Kara said, “I told you, weird sense of humor.”

Pointing at Kara, Eliza said, “I told you, it’s the only way she’d have you.”

“Last chance to escape the house with me,” Kara offered again.

“Where are you going to buy it?” Lena asked.  “I’ll need to shower first and get dressed.”

With a broad smile, Kara said, “Oh, you don’t buy a Christmas tree.  You walk through the woods until the perfect tree just calls out to you.  When you find it, you know.”

Leaning against the counter, Lena said, “But people have already done the work of cutting down trees.  I’m sure there are perfectly nice ones in town.  You could just go and pick one out and—”

“Not the perfect one.”

“Right, but in town—”

“They wouldn’t be perfect.”

Lena looked over at Eliza who just picked up her now cold coffee and wandered over to the sink, not commenting.

“Okay, so this is some sort of alpha female, woman against nature kind of thing.  You need to go and dominate the landscape with your mighty muscles?  Is that it?”  Lena asked.

Kara flexed.  “They are pretty mighty.”

“Ah...right.”  Looking away from Kara, Lena glanced over at Eliza who was doing a decent job of pretending not to watch them as she scrubbed her cup to a reflective clean, and cleared her throat as she looked at Kara again.  “You know what, Kara?  As much as I love tromping through the woods in search of a tree that I could pay someone to deliver to my doorstep, and who wouldn’t love that, there can only be one alpha female of the woods in a family.  I think that should be you.  Why don’t you go out and get us the perfect Christmas tree?  I’m sure Eliza and I have things we can do around the house to get ready for it.  Right, Eliza?”

“Hmmmm?  Oh, right.  We’ll get ready for the tree while you’re out, sweetie.  Take your time.”

“Well, if you’re sure.  It could take a while.  You two won’t mind?”

“We’ll be fine,” Lena assured.

“Okay.  Let me just get dressed for going outside.”  In a flash, Kara was gone and then walking back into the kitchen, scarf around her neck as she tugged a hat over her head.  “How do I look?”

“Like you need a coat,” Lena pointed out.

Kara waved a hand at her dismissively.  “Probably no one will see me, and it isn’t that cold.”

“It’s freezing out.”

“Only a little bit freezing,” Kara said holding her thumb and forefinger less than an inch apart.

“But, Kara—”

“Lena?”  Eliza shook her head.  “Let this one go.  Work on the vegetables, but let this one go.  Kryptonians and coats are like children and table manners.”  When Lena only looked at her confusedly, Eliza said, “You can try, but they’ll probably only use them around company.”

“You are nothing like my mother.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should,” Lena said to Eliza, then looking at Kara added, “Fine, but I don’t like it.  Looking at you going out like that makes me cold...and now I sound like someone’s mother.  Just leave already.”

“Yes, dear.”

As Kara reached the door, Lena said, “Kara wait.  You forgot…” She held up a finger, walking out of the kitchen and a few moments later coming back with an ax on her shoulder.  “I knew I saw this by the woodpile near the fireplace.  You’re not planning on ripping the tree out of the ground whole, are you?”

“Well, I could but no.”  Kara’s eyes glowed yellow, and she tapped at her temples.  “I’ve got this.”

“Oh.  Well, don’t set the forest on fire, all right?”

“You are such a worry wart.  I know how to be me, okay?”

Placing the ax on the kitchen counter, Lena nodded and walked over to Kara, giving her a hug.  “This is just taking some getting used to for me.  Be patient?”

“Of course.  Sorry.”  Kara held her, smiling until they both stepped back.

“Now, go dominate the forest and find us the perfect tree, Miss Danvers.”

“Yes, ma’am, Miss Luthor.  Stay here until I come back.  You will, right?  You’ll be here until I come back?  You won’t leave?”

“Kara, I have internet, alcohol, and kale.  All of my needs are met.  Go.”

“Okay, I’m going, but I have my phone.  If anything happens like...a press conference, call me.  I won’t go more than a few miles.  I can be back here in seconds.”

Arms crossed, Lena replied, “I promise to call if there’s a press conference.  Now leave.”

“You promise?”

“CEO’s honor.”

Brows furrowed, Kara nodded once and then headed out the kitchen door.

“Press conference?” Eliza asked.

“Reporters, you know how they can be,” Lena replied, picking up her coffee and taking a sip.  “She’s probably missing work.  I’ll have to reach out to Jimmy and come up with an assignment Kara can do remotely.”

“Jimmy…?”

“Olsen.”

“Oh, James.  You call him Jimmy?”

Taking another sip of her coffee, Lena nodded.

“Clark does too.”

“Of course, you would know him since he’s Kara’s cousin.  He placed Kara with you, right?”

Eliza stiffened for a moment, then relaxed with a smile.  “Forgive me, Lena, but this is going to take me a little while to get used to too.  Kara was so certain we could trust you when I was at the DEO dealing with the Medusa virus.  I wish she had just told us the two of you were dating instead of saying she’d go talk to you herself.  Now I understand why she got into that yelling match with James over you.”

Rubbing the back of her neck, Lena gave a small smile that didn’t touch her eyes.  “Yes, Alex mentioned that.  I’m sorry, Eliza, I didn’t mean to cause trouble between Kara and her friends.  I only—”

“Oh, Lena, no, sweetheart, no.”  Grasping the younger woman’s arm, Eliza smiled and shook her head.  “Kara was 100% right about you, and James was comparing your brother’s actions against Clark to what he thought you would do to Kara.  Even if you and Kara hadn’t been romantically involved, he had no basis for blaming you for what someone else did.  James loves Kara and wants to protect her.  We all do, but that doesn’t make it all right to villainize you.  Kara said it then, and she was right.  You are not your brother, and you are not your mother.  Everyone has to stop blaming you for their actions...especially you.”

Her gaze flicking to and from Eliza’s several times, Lena finally said, “Have I mentioned yet that you’re nothing like my mother?”

“Not once,” Eliza replied sarcastically.  “Why don’t you do it now?”

With a relieved laugh, Lena said, “Eliza, you are nothing like my mother.”

Pulling Lena into her arms, Eliza held her close and said, “You won’t always be able to say that.”

When Eliza released her, as way of changing the subject Lena asked, “So, what are your plans for the day?  I’m finding myself to be incredibly bad at puttering.  Is there anything with which I can help you?”

“Sorry, but no.”

“Oh, don’t we need to do something tree related?”

“I did it yesterday while you girls were out.”

“Oh.”  Clearly disappointed, Lena’s expression changed as she suggested, “What about getting boxes of decorations from the basement or something?”

“All done,” Eliza said.

“I could hang the Christmas lights outside.”

“Kara can fly,” Eliza reminded her.

“Well, can I buy something?”  Her voice a bit snippy, Lena winced.  “Sorry, I don’t do idle well.  Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?”

“Sweetheart, just relax.  I’m going to head into town for a little while, assuming I can get Jeremiah’s old car started up.”

Pausing mid-sip, Lena asked, “What old car?”

“Oh, just some old muscle car of Jeremiah’s that we have in the garage out back.”

When Eliza didn’t elaborate, Lena nodded.  “Go on.”

“It’s just a car, sweetie.”

“What year?  You said muscle car, so I’m assuming rear wheel drive and American not foreign made?  Is it a V-8?”

“Um...it has four wheels.”

“The garage in the back?”

Eliza nodded.

“Hold on.”  Lena left the kitchen and was gone for a few minutes to return still wearing her pajamas but with a coat, gloves, boots, and hat.  Zippering the coat closed she said, “I’m not Kara.  Show me to this car.”

At the garage, Eliza unlocked and pulled open the garage door that slid to the side.  She flicked on the lights revealing a garage that was part car storage and part working garage.  Tools covered the walls, and there were several workbenches.  A tarped vehicle sat in the center of the area.

“May I?”  Lena gestured at the vehicle.

Eliza nodded.

Pulling back the tarp revealed a white vehicle with two wide, dark-blue stripes running front to back.  It had a long nose with a raised intake and no back seats.  On the driver’s side of the grill was a small, silver horse.

Lena gasped.  Running around to the side of the car, she crouched down just past the tire and gasped again.  Standing, she placed her hand over her mouth and stared at the car, mumbling, “She’s beautiful.”

“Are you all right?”

Still staring at the car, Lena said, “Eliza, no matter what I say, do not sell me this car.” After several more moments of staring at the car, Lena turned to Eliza and deadpanned, “How much do you want for her?”

Eliza laughed for a moment then stilled.  “It’s not for sale.”

“Of course not, but if she were…?” Lifting a brow, Lena waited.

“It’s still not for sale.”

“I know that, but hypothetically speaking…?” Lena’s brow ticked up just slightly higher.

Walking up to Lena, Eliza patted her on the arm and crossed behind her saying, “I’ll leave you the car in my will.”

“Ah, you shouldn’t ever say that to a Luthor.  People have been killed for much, much less.”

“It’s just a car, Lena.”

“A car?  No, this is a 1965 Shelby GT 350.  It’s the second Mustang ever made, the 1964 being the first, of course.  The ‘65 Shelby GT 350 has a V8 289 cubic inch water cooled, high-performance engine.  It uses Ford’s new high-riser manifold with the 4-barrel Holly carburetor so there wouldn’t be a problem with flooding or starving during hard cornering.  The engine is rated at 306 bhp at 6,000 rpm with 4.00” bore and 2.87” stroke.  It gets 13-15 miles to the gallon which is…” Lena shrugged as she reached for the door, pushing the button on the handle and smiling when it opened.  As she pulled open the door, she said, “It has a four-speed transmission, Borg Warner T-10 if I recall properly.  It’s original sale prices was $4,311.00 unless.”  Pulling her head out of the interior, Lena looked down at one of the tires and then grinned back at Eliza.  “Unless it has the cast magnesium wheels.  They add another $273.00 onto the sales price.  The car is worth considerably more now.”

“How much more?”

“Well, condition of the car plays a big factor in that,” Lena replied as she walked around the vehicle.  “If the paint is in excellent condition, uses the original designs and material, if the interior isn’t in need of serious reconditioning or replacement, if the mechanics are working flawlessly…” Back at the driver’s side, Lena pointed into the car again.  “May I pop the hood?”

“Help yourself.  You certainly seem to know a lot about cars.”

“My father loved to work on them and let me spend hours with him rebuilding engines, tearing them down and putting them back together.  He told me never to use a thing I didn’t understand front to back and side to side.  I still won’t.  Car, train, plane, space shuttle.  Unless I understand how a thing works, I won’t get into it.”

Space…space shuttle?”

The hood popped, Lena moved to the front of the car, opening the hood and putting up the arm to hold it in place.  “If maintenance has been kept up then...ugh.” She strained, turning a screw.  “Then your value could be worth as much as 500 or so, but even at the lower end, a car like this would go for over 200.”

“Dollars?” Eliza asked, squinting and frowning slightly.

Lena nodded, looking under the hood before she stood up and said, “Hundred thousand dollars.”

“Hundred tho…” Exhaling suddenly, Eliza took a moment to right herself and asked, “Are you telling me this car could be worth $200,000?”

“This car?”  With a loving smile, Lena shook her head.  “No, this car is beautiful.  If you were selling, I’d give you half a million for her without even trying to turn the key.  I’m sure she needs a tune-up, and you need to treat the leather a bit better.  We’ll take care of that, but this car is a find.  Don’t sell her to me.”  Lena turned back to the car then quickly back to Eliza, “But if you ever do decide to sell her, don’t sell her to anyone else.  I’ll buy her, all right?”

“I...are you serious about the car?”

“Eliza, there are three things I never joke about: a good car, a good whiskey, and a good woman.  You have all three of these at your disposal right now.”  Wiggling her fingers as she stared at the car, Lena asked, “You mind if I play around under her hood?”

With a smile slowly growing on her face, Eliza asked, “You mean the car, right?”

“Hmmmm?”

Patting Lena’s arm, Eliza said, “Let’s get you inside and changed first.  I’m not sure those pajamas are grease monkey appropriate.”

“Oh.”  Looking down at herself, Lena chuckled.  “I suppose you’re right.  In my excitement, I’d forgotten what I was wearing.  I packed some jeans for the trip.  I’m not sure if I have a t-shirt.  Kara stressed that this would be a casual outing, but casual is not my best thing.  Sorry.  Even my lounging clothes are not exactly meant for…”  She shrugged.

Arm around Lena’s shoulder, Eliza walked back to the house with her.  “Just grab something of Kara’s.  I’m sure you do that at home.”

“At home?”

“You girls are living together, aren’t you?”

“Oh, our home.”  Lena nodded.  “Yes, Kara’s moved into my place, though she still has her...ah.  We’re not the same size.”

“Oh, you’re not that vastly different.”  Opening the door to the kitchen, Eliza held it open and followed Lena in.  “Kara has a bunch of old t-shirts in the bottom drawer of her dresser...unless she broke that too.  You can wear her t-shirt, can’t you?”

Her head more circling than nodding, Lena said, “Sure.  Of course.  I do that all the time.  Girls, girlfriends, do that all the time, so we do.  We do wear each other’s clothes, so I’m going to...I’ll be right back.”  As she hurried out of the room, Lena mumbled to herself, “Oh, good Lord, at this rate I’m going to have to marry her.  I’m starting to sound like Kara.”

Upstairs, Lena found one of the three pairs of jeans she’d packed, though none of them were exactly ‘change your oil jeans’ and dug out an older t-shirt of Kara’s.  Even a new t-shirt of Kara’s would have been a bit snug across the bust.  This one was strained.  Lena looked down at the Kool-Aid main on her torso, bricks seemingly flying about as he was crashing through the wall.

“You aren’t the only thing that looks like you’re going to come smashing through there.”  She tugged down the shirt that settled just about hip height which was where her jeans sat.  Going downstairs, she grabbed her jacket again and tied on her boots. She’d just finished with her laces when she heard it.

“Bang!” From outside, there was a sound, one loud gunshot-like pop.

Heart suddenly racing, Lena stilled.  “Eliza!”  When there was no response, she raced into the kitchen, breath already coming hard.  The sound was from outside, clearly.  Lena patted her pockets, but her phone wasn’t there.  She glanced out of the kitchen window to catch the fleeting motion of Eliza disappearing into the garage.  Lena opened her mouth to call out again, but the woman was gone.  Turning, Lena took three steps to head back upstairs for her phone, caught sight of the ax she’d left on the counter earlier, steeled herself, grabbed it, and raced out the door leaving it open behind her.  

Lena ran full out until she reached the garage and flattened against it.  Most of what she could hear was her blood rushing through her ears as her heart pounded.  Stepping around the corner of the garage toward the entrance, she glanced and saw motion, Eliza coming into view.  Grabbing the woman’s wrist, Lena tugged the older woman out of the garage and whipped Eliza behind her, pushing her own body in the way.

“What the…!?  Lena!?”

“Stay behind me!  Did you see him!?”

“See who?  What are you doing?”

Ax in one hand and the other pressed behind her against Eliza, Lena snuck her head around the corner briefly.  “I don’t see anyone.  All right.  The way back to the house looks clear.  I want you to run for it, and I’ll cover you.  When you get in, give Kara a call.  My phone is in my room.  Tell her where I am.  Are you ready?”

“Sweetie, what the—”

“On three.  One, two—”

“Lena.”  Eliza tried to step out past Lena, but the younger woman suddenly threw all of her body weight back, pushing Eliza against the garage again.  “What the hell is going on!?”

“Are you trying to get yourself killed!?” Lena hissed out.  Pointing to her left, her eyes still to her right, she said, “Go that way, toward the house.  No matter what you hear, don’t stop.  Just call Kara.  She’ll protect you.”

“Protect me from…?  Do you think someone’s trying to kill me?”

“No, me,” Lena corrected.  “If you get to the house and call Kara, you’ll be fine.  Just run and don’t look back.  Are you ready?”

A hand gently squeezing Lena’s shoulder, Eliza asked, “Sweetheart, why do you think someone’s trying to kill you?”

With an exasperated sigh, Lena snapped, “Didn’t you hear the gunshot!?”

“You mean the car backfire?”

“The car…!?”  Jerking, Lena paused.  Her eyes dashed left and right several times, and then she blinked rapidly.  “The car backfire?”

“Yes, I started up the Mustang, and it backfired.  I shut it off.  It definitely needs a tune-up.”

“That was a…!?”  Turning to look at Eliza, eyes wild, Lena’s jaw slackened and then tension in her whole body released as she slumped, shaky with adrenaline, to the ground.  “Jesus H Christ!”  Curled into a crouch, ax lying across her knees, Lena’s head fell across her own lap as she gripped the back of her head tightly.

“Hey, sweetie, hey, there.”  Crouching next to the younger woman, Eliza curled a protective arm around Lena.  “Are you all right?  Talk to me, Lena.”

“I…”  Releasing the back of her head, Lena rubbed her face with both hands and managed a nod.  “Yes, I’m...holy fuck.”

“You’re not okay.”

“No, I’m…”  Looking back at Eliza, Lena pushed out a smile that didn’t go further than her lips.  “Sorry about that, Eliza.  I kind of overreacted there.  National City resident, you know?”

“Lena,” As they both rose to their feet, Eliza took Lena’s free hand.  “That seemed a little extreme for a city girl.  What’s going on?”

“Oh, it’s just been a tough two weeks to...twenty years.”  Laughing slightly, a touch of hysteria eeking out, Lena looked up as her eyes burned.

“Give me that,” Eliza said pulling the ax from Lena’s hand.  “This is not a tough anything.  You were terrified, extremely brave, but terrified.  You just threw yourself between me and what you thought was a gunman.  I’d like an explanation.”

Nodding, Lena said, “Just a few days ago, someone tried to kill me.  It isn’t the first time either.  It won’t be the last.  Well, the last time will be the last but...You understand.  I met Kara because my brother tried to kill me, and I met her again as Supergirl the next time he tried to kill me.  You’re a doctor.  With interns, they say you hear the sound of hoofbeats and think zebra instead of horse.  Well, I think gunshot instead of fireworks, or in this case car backfire, because it’s usually a gunshot.  I’m not just paranoid.  People are trying to kill me.  I’m used to it.  I just didn’t want you getting in the middle.”

“Lena, you don’t get used to people trying to kill you.”

“You get used to it, or you die, Eliza.  It’s a defense mechanism.”  That ghost of a smile haunting across her face again, Lena said, “For better or worse, Luthors are survivors.”

With a frown, Eliza took a step back so she could study Lena, but she didn’t release the younger girl’s hand.  “You’re shaking.  Why don’t you come into the house for a little bit?  I’ll make you a cup of cocoa or some tea.  How does that sound?”

“Can I just be alone out here for a little while?”

“I don’t think you should be alone.  Come into the house with me, sweetheart.”

“I’m better alone.”

“Lena,” Eliza looked at her, eyes swimming in sympathy and understanding.  “Humans are social creatures.  No one’s better alone.”

“I…”  Looking up again for a few moments before she could meet Eliza’s gaze, Lena replied, “I’m not good at this.”

Head tilting to the side, Eliza asked, “Good at what?”

“Caring about people, having people care about me.  I’m a Luthor.  I’m not good at this.”

“Oh, Lena.”  Tossing the ax a few feet away, Eliza took Lena’s other hand in hers.  “I don’t think that’s true, but even if that is, Danvers women are very good at showing people how it’s done.  Come here.”

Lena nodded, finally allow herself to cry as she was wrapped in Eliza’s arms.  They stood there for several minutes, Eliza stroking Lena’s hair, encouraging her to ‘just let it out’, and offering only sympathy and never judgment.  In five minutes time, it was more unconditional love and acceptance than Lena had received in twenty years from Lillian.  To say it turned a corner would be too much, but it was a nice start.  Maybe someone would have to rethink phrases like, ‘I’m not made for...’ and ‘...isn’t for me’ as she watched the rest of the world’s casual interaction.  Perhaps this would be a toe into the new normal.  After a trip to the kitchen that included tea and cookies from Eliza’s secret stash, ‘Because that’s why we have lead-lined boxes around here’, Lena was much recovered and eager to undertake work on the Mustang.  

 

<><> 

 

Whistling happily, her tree held in one hand and hanging over her shoulder, Kara paused as she heard an ‘80s power ballad blaring from nearby.  Curious, she continued toward the sound as it was coming from her destination anyway.  The back garage, the working one they never used, had its door ajar.  The lights were on inside, and she could hear the sound of the heater running just under the blaring of “Sister Christian” by Night Ranger.  Her curiosity growing, Kara carefully lay her fir tree down and slid the door open about halfway.  Jeremiah’s ‘65 Mustang was up on a set of steel ramps.  Someone was underneath it lying on a mechanic’s creeper, her boots and lower legs sticking out and one leg tapping out the beat of the music.  A light hung from the car underside, illuminating the work area.

Smirking, Kara walked over to the legs jutting out and tapped a foot onto one boot.

From under the car, Lena’s voice echoed slightly.  “Eliza, the oil is all changed.  You can start her up, and I’ll check oil pressure.”

“Not Eliza.”

“Kara?”  Pushing herself out from under the car, wearing a pair of jeans, and an old t-shirt of Kara’s that almost fit, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and with dirt and oil smudging her face and the rest of her in various places, Lena looked up and smiled brightly.  “Kara!  Eliza let me work on Jeremiah’s old Mustang.”

“I…” Heart fluttering at the mess below her that was even more beautiful if possible, Kara’s voice tripped for a moment before she recovered.  “I see that.  How’s it going?”

Her smile impossibly wide, Lena replied, “I checked the water pump, and it isn’t leaking.  I replaced the spark plugs, installed new points and condenser.  I had to send Eliza to town for oil so I could do an oil change.  Luckily there was already an oil filter, steel ramps, a drain pan, and a mechanics creeper here.  I cleaned the carburetor.  I want to get some leather reconditioner for the interior.  Perhaps you and I could go into town and do that later?”

“Um…”  Nodding indiscriminately, Kara smiled back.  Pointing at her own face, she said, “You have a little…”

“What, oil?”

“It’s a smudge.”

“Where?  Here?”  Lena pointed from one side of her face to the other and then back again, trying to verify the location of the mark.

“No, it’s right...Hold on.”  Going over and grabbing a rag from the workbench, Kara returned and crouched over Lena.  She wiped at the other woman’s face.  “There.”

“Is it gone?”

“No, it’s much worse,” Kara said with a laugh.  “I smeared it all over your cheek.  Sorry.”

“Oh, you…” Grabbing the rag from Kara, Lena swatted at the other woman with it.  “Are you really the best friend I could manage?”

Holding out her hands in a gesture of mock protection, Kara continued to laugh.  “Uh, yeah.”

“Oh...true.  Well, that’s depressing,” Lena said though she laughed along with Kara.

“Hold on.”  Pulling out her cellphone, Kara scrolled to the camera.  “This moment deserves to be captured for posterity.  Smile.”

“Really?” An eyebrow rising, a tiny smile curled the corner of Lena’s lips as the camera clicked.  “Is that going to be my new picture when I call you?”

“Oh, absolutely not.”  Biting her lower lip, Kara began to type into her phone.  “How many Es are in fiancée?”

“One for a male, two for a female, and three for non-binary.  Why?”  As Kara’s smile grew, Lena rose to her elbows and asked, “Kara, what are you doing with that?”

Kara’s tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth as she typed, and then she hit her phone one final time.  “There.  I just wanted to post a lovely picture of my fiancée on Instagram.”

Lena froze.  “Oh, you bitch.  You did not.”

“Miss Luthor, that is not a nice thing to call your future wife.  What will people think?”

Making a grab for Kara’s phone, Lena said, “How many Es are there in Kryptonite?  I’m going to kill you!”

Laughing even louder, Kara grabbed first one of Lena’s wrists and then the other with one hand, pinning them over the other woman’s head as she leaned down, pressing her torso against Lena’s flat onto the mechanic’s creeper again.

“Let me go!” Lena demanded.

With a grin, Kara asked, “So you can kill me?”

“Yes!”

“Hmmm.  That’s not very motivating.”

Squirming, Lena kicked her legs.  She found purchased on the cement floor on either side and pushed up, but Kara was unmovable.  “Kara…!”

“Oh, calm down.  I didn’t send the picture to Instagram.”

Body stilling, Lena relaxed as tension eased out of her form.  “You didn’t?”

Sweeping a hair from Lena’s face with the pinky of the hand that held her cellphone, Kara smiled and shook her head.

“Oh, well, then what the hell did you do with it?”

“I just sent it to my sister.  I told her you got messy working on Jeremiah’s car, and that we were having a good time but missed her.  That’s all.  Now, if I let you go, are you still going to kill me?”

“Well, I am a Luthor.”  One eyebrow cropping up as a sly look crossed her face, Lena said, “I’d watch out for green milkshakes come Saint Patrick’s Day, Supergirl.  One of them could have more than you bargained for in it.”

“Well, then maybe I won’t let you go.”

“Well, then maybe you shouldn’t.  Maybe you shouldn’t let me go until I learn to control my wicked, Luthor ways.” As Lena bit her lower lip, one of her eyebrows flashed up for just a moment.

“Oh.”

At the garage door, holding a warm beverage, Eliza walked up, took one look at the girls, did a 180-degree turn, and went back to the house without uttering a word.

“Mmmm, tell me, Supergirl, is this what you like, having the...upper hand on a Luthor?”

Swallowing hard, Kara nodded slowly.  “Yeah, I think it is.”

“Good, very, very good.  That makes two of us.”

When her phone chimed, Kara startled slightly.  “Oh, it’s Maggie.  Looks like Alex sent the picture to her.  Heh.  She wants to know if I’m getting dirty with you.  She asked if I...”  Kara frowned slightly.  “...lubed your chassis.”

“Oh, my chassis is being lubed,” Lena assured.  “You can tell her that…”  Gaze wandering away, Lena muttered, “No don’t say that, Lena.  Just because cars have grease nipples doesn’t mean you should say that right now.”

“What did you just say?”

“Nothing.  Put your phone down.”

“Uh, okay.”  Complying, Kara laid her phone on the floor.  She let up some of the pressure on Lena’s wrists.  “Do you want me to…?”

“No, unless you want to.”

Their gazes locked for several seconds, Kara tightened her grip and leaned over Lena again.  “Not really.”

“Good.”  When Lena’s phone buzzed, she immediately said, “Ignore it.”

“But what if—?”

“Ignore it, Kara.”

Kara nodded, but her gaze flashed to her left where the phone lay out on the floor.  A split-second later, she looked back at the phone again.  “It’s Kate Kane.”

“Kara?”  Lena smiled and lifted her head slightly when the other woman looked down at her.  “Right now there’s only us.  Forget the rest of the world.”

“You’re talking to Kate Kate?  You text with her?”

“Uh...sometimes?”  Lena shrugged as best she was able with her hands pinned over her head.  “There was that work thing and no!  Kara, nonono.”

Releasing Lena, Kara squinted down at the phone, then picked it up and frowned.  “She says she’d grease your monkey any time.  Really?  What does that even mean?”

“Nothing.  Kara, ignore her.”

“It’s not nothing.  After it is a monkey, cherries, and a strawberry.  Why would she send you fruit?  What does that mean?”

“Uh...that I’m a vegetarian?  It doesn’t mean anything.”

Sitting on the floor and placing Lena’s phone on the ground, Kara said, “It means something, doesn’t it?  She’s flirting with you, and I just don’t get it.  That’s what’s going on, right?”

Sitting up, Lena asked, “What does it matter?”

“Really?” With a blast of superspeed, Kara was suddenly out of the garage and at the door, stooping to pick up her tree.  Then she was stomping off toward the house with it over her shoulder.

Steadying herself after the gust of wind, Lena looked around briefly to locate Kara’s retreating form.  “Kara, wait.  Wait!”  Pushing to her feet, Lena ran after Kara.  She made it to the kitchen door just after the other woman, struggling to close the door with greasy hands and without leaving filth behind.  “Kara, will you just stop for a moment and let me explain what I meant?”

“What’s to explain?” Kara said with a shrug as she strode through the house holding the eight-foot tree in front of her by its trunk as if it were nothing.

“Nothing happened with Kate.”

“It doesn’t matter if it did.  You don’t owe me an explanation.  You’re free to do whatever you want with anyone.  Have fun.”

“But…”  Looking over at Eliza who stared up from her seat at the table where she’d been reading a book, Lena shook her head rapidly and said, “Kryptonians.  She doesn’t mean that.”  As Kara laid the tree by the tree skirt on the floor, Lena stepped within inches of the other woman and quietly said, “Can we please go someplace private and speak?  I think you’ve gotten the wrong idea?”

“Maybe we both have.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Glancing over at Eliza, Kara kept her tone low.  “I’m here to keep you safe.  Your protection is my responsibility, that’s all.  I should focus on that.”

Mouth a thin line, Lena pushed even closer to Kara, her voice low and even as she asked, “Is that what you want, Kara, to keep our relationship professional and just protect me?”

Breaking eye contact, Kara looked down and to her right as she shrugged and asked, “Is that what you want?”

Sliding in front of Kara until their bodies touched, Lena moved her face until she caught Kara’s gaze.  Jaw tight and teeth gritted, she uttered, “No.”  Before Kara could respond, she dashed away, boots slamming on each step as Lena made her way upstairs.

Moving to the couch, Kara fell back into it letting her legs shoot out in front of her as she released her breath in a puff of air.  When Eliza took a seat next to her, Kara glanced over at her foster mother and waited.  She didn’t have to wait long.

“So, who’s Kate?”

“Oh, ah...a friend of, ah, Maggie’s.”

Eliza nodded.  “Sounds like there’s more to the story than that.  Want to talk to me about it?”

Head lolling back against the couch, Kara said, “Not really.”

“It might help.”

Kara shook her head but ended up saying, “She’s kind of helping to cover stuff in National City in my absence.”

“Oh.  She’s a superhero?”

Kara snorted.  “She wishes.”

“What am I missing, Kara?”

Sitting up and turning to face Eliza, Kara said, “She’s kind of a superhero.”

“And she’s covering for you in National City?”

Kara nodded.

“And Lena…?”

Kara shrugged.

“Use your words.”

“They…”  Kara sighed.  “Lena said nothing happened but…Ugh.”  Kara flopped back on the couch again.  “I don’t like her.”

“Kate?”

“Yes, Kate,” Kara said, her voice ridden with sarcasm.  “She’s all sexy, and she rides a motorcycle.  She flirts all the time.  Like all the time.”

“All the time, Kara?”

Sitting upright again, Kara turned to Eliza and nodded.  “All the time.  She flirts like I eat.”

“Oh, that is all the time.”

“See?  All the time.”

With a gentle hand, Eliza squeezed Kara’s forearm.  “Have you spoken to Lena about it?”

“Lena just says it’s no big deal.  She doesn’t understand why I care, but I just...do!”

“Watch your tone, young lady.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Eliza said patting Kara’s arm.  “Now, it sounds like you and Lena need to have a serious discussion about your feelings, both of your feelings.  Communication is key to a successful relationship.  I know Lena hasn’t had the best examples in her family.  Maybe she just doesn’t understand what it is you want from her.  Have you been clear?”

“Well...not really.”

“Kara Danvers, you need to talk to that girl.  She cares about you.”

“But Kate—”

“I don’t want to hear about this Kate person.  This is about you and Lena.  Kate is miles away, and she has nothing to do with your relationship with your fiancée.”  When Kara looked up sharply, her eyes wide, Eliza asked, “What did I say?”

“Nothing.”

“Kara, I want you to march upstairs and talk to that girl right now.  If you love her, and it’s obvious that you do, you go fix things with her.  Do you hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am but…”  Under Eliza’s glare, Kara shrunk in and pointed at the ceiling.  “She’s showering.  I’ll talk to her after she’s out of the shower, okay?”

Eyes narrowed, Eliza nodded once.  “Fine, but when that shower stops, you get your butt upstairs and fix this or no latkes for the rest of the stay.  Do you hear me?”

Eyes bulging, Kara nodded quickly.  “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good girl.  Now come here.”  Squeezing Kara as tightly as she could, Eliza said, “How about you and I get that tree set up while Lena showers.  How does that sound?”

“I’m really, really hungry.  Food sounds better.”

“I bet we can manage both.”

“A little snack?”

“Fine,” Eliza said with a sigh as she released Kara.  “There are some Oreos in the—” A gust of signaled Kara’s departure.  “Kitchen.  Save me one, please!”


	17. Boundaries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Oprah said, "And you get a trope, and you get a trope, and you get a trope!"
> 
> Ahem...this is another long one folks. Remember, stretch and hydrate.

Standing outside of the bedroom, Kara knocked on the door and said, “Are you decent?”

“Go away!”

Sighing, Kara pressed her forearm against the door and her forehead against her arm.  “I don’t even get a comment about your decency for that?  Come on, Lena, that was a softball.  Smack that one out of the park.”  She waited, but there was no response only the sound of movement from within.  “Not even a comeback about smacking me out of the ballpark?”

“I don’t want to fight with you, Kara.  Just...go away!”

“I don’t want to fight either.  I came to apologize.”  Kara listened while the motion within stilled.  “Can I just come in and apologize to you?  I’ll do it through the door if that’s all you’ll let me do, but I’d rather do this face-to-face.”  After a few seconds of silence, there was movement within again.  “Okay, look, Lena, I was wrong, and I just wanted to say—”  

Suddenly, the door opened leaving Kara to recover quickly, so she didn’t fall into the room.  Lena was there in a green button-down shirt and...Kara would have to assume underpants though she couldn’t see them at the moment.  The dark-haired women managed a bit of a glare, though there was also pain on her face.  Her hair had been blown dry and hung loosely over her shoulders.  She held the doorknob with one hand, and her other arm moved to cover her as if she would cross her arms over her body for protection.

Paused, Kara gestured toward the room.  “Can I come in?”

Pulling the door open the rest of the way, Lena shrugged and stepped back.  “It’s more your room than mine.  I’m just a guest.”

Rubbing the back of her neck, face down as she sheepishly took only a single step forward, Kara said, “Still, if you want your privacy, I’ll leave you alone.  I just came to apologize.”

“It’s fine.  You can…”  With another shrug, Lena made a vague head movement toward the room, but when Kara lifted her head, she attempted a smile.  

It wasn’t much, but it gave Kara the encouragement to smile back a bit and enter the room.

“So…”

“So…”  Kara nodded.  “I’m sorry.  I’m sorry I freaked out about the Kate thing.  You didn’t do anything wrong, and I totally overreacted.  She just gets to me, and I guess I don’t really know why.”

“Don’t you?” Lena asked, one brow cropping up slightly.

“I…”  Kara nodded.  “Okay, I guess I kind of know why.  She just seems so good at stuff, so natural, and I’m awkward.  Sometimes it’s hard not being human, not growing up in this culture, especially when you see someone who fits in so well.  People like Kate make me feel like an alien.”

Taking a tentative step forward, Lena asked, “What’s wrong with being an alien?”

“Nothing,” Kara replied.  “I don’t mind that I’m not human, but I do mind that I’m an outsider.  That may not make any sense to you—”  When Lena’s laugh interrupted, Kara frowned, but her face softened when she saw Lena wasn’t actually smiling just shaking her head.

“Oh, I know all about not fitting in.  I was the weird pre-teen in high school.  Then I was the weird teenager in college.  It’s one thing to be too young to drink in college, but you should be old enough to vote or at least drive.  I just…” Lena shrugged.  “I just thought I didn’t get people in my life where I fit.  Lex was the first person who made me feel welcome, and he was off running the company with father.  I thought I just had to find my own way in the world, and then you came walking through my door and just blew through all my walls.  I didn’t know what to do with you.”

“Is that a good thing?”

Moving to drop into a seat on the bed, Lena admitted, “Most days I think so.  Stalwart and content were my normal, but then this idea of happy came along with you, and I have to admit it’s rather addictive, Miss Danvers.  You’ve thrown off my perfectly laid schedule.”

Carefully sitting on the same bed, but a respectful distance away, Kara asked, “For?”

“World conquest?”

Face scrunched up, Kara shook her head.

Lena laughed again, and this time it held some humor.  “All right, so maybe I didn’t inherit the Luthor gene for diabolical world domination.  I did have plans to conquer new frontiers, make changes to the world with clean energy and communication.  I want to make this world a better place.”

“Oh, Rao, Lena.”  Kara smiled.  “You make this world a better place just by being in it.”

Smiling in return, Lena said, “And you make my world a better place by being in it.  That hasn’t happened for me in a very long time.  You’re a bit of an addiction, Miss Danvers, and I believe I might be hooked.”

Nodding a bit rapidly, Kara pushed some hair behind her ear and hesitantly inched just the tiniest bit closer to Lena.  “So, are you looking at some kind of twelve step program or something?”

“Heh.  The first step would be admitting I have a problem.”  Her head turned toward Kara, Lena looked through her lashes.  “Is this a problem?”

Kara blushed slightly as she looked down, but quickly returned to meeting Lena’s gaze.  “No.  So, what you said downstairs about not wanting to keep our relationship professional, you meant that?”

“Kara, you’re my best friend.  No matter what, I don’t want that to change.  I’d be miserable if I lost your friendship.”

“Oh.”  Brows furrowed, Kara seemed to draw in on herself.

Perhaps sensing Kara’s emotional retreat, Lena reached across the gap between them, placing her hand on Kara’s.  “Back at my apartment, before we were so rudely interrupted by a world killer, you said something to me.  Do you remember what you said?”

“Was it about popcorn?”

“Yes,” Lena admitted with a laugh.  “Popcorn did play a major part in our discussion.  We’re not going to get off course here and need to feed your stomach, are we?”

Head shaking, Kara replied, “I ate before I came up here.  This didn’t seem like the type of conversation I should have on an empty stomach.”

“Thank you,” Lena replied sincerely.  “So, in my apartment, you said you didn’t want **just** my friendship.  Do you remember that?”

Kara paused while they held eye contact before saying, “Yes.”

“Did you mean that?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“I told you I thought we’d been kidding ourselves for a while now, Kara.  Emotionally, there’s been something going on for a while, but we haven’t put a name to it.  I don’t know if it’s because you’re an alien or I’m a Luthor or both.  Maybe it’s the combination we have going on here, but I think we would have just kept dancing around this relationship question and going on not dates for...well, forever if we hadn’t had some kind of wakeup call here, don’t you?”

“Maybe.  I’d like to think we would have figured this out on our own.”  Sliding closer to Lena and squeezing her hand, Kara asked, “So, where do we go from here?  I like you.”

“Well, I hope so.”

With an eye roll, Kara said, “Rao, Lena, you know what I mean.  I care about you and not just the way that friends do.  I’m...I’m attracted to you.”

“There, was that so hard to say?”

“Apparently,” Kara mumbled.

Leaning over slightly so that her head laid on Kara’s shoulder, Lena said, “I’m attracted to you too in case you needed to hear me say that.”

“I really did,” Kara said with a sigh.

“Have I been subtle?”  Sitting upright and looking at Kara again, Lena said, “Really, I mean I’d given up on hoping for anything but friendship, but have I been subtle?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, you’re obtuse.”

Kara frowned.  “What did I do?”

“Nothing for the better part of a year,” Lena said as she stood up.

“Hey, hey, wait.”  Kara gently tugged Lena back to a sitting position again.  “I was clueless huh?”

“Darling, I did everything but hit you with a clue-by-four.  Though now I realize that would have just broken over your thick Kryptonian head.”  Smiling, Lena gently knocked against Kara’s forehead.

Rubbing her forehead, Kara smiled.  “I guess I can be dense sometimes.  I just never saw any of this dating stuff when I was on Krypton.  I watched TV when I got here, but I’m not sure it really got it right.  I think it skips a lot of the steps, and high school was too confusing for me to figure out human/human interaction let alone human/me interaction.  Things like gym and math were easy, but I had to learn the entirety of history again from the beginning for an entire planet.”

“You were just learning the language too.”

“Well, sure, but I’m pretty good with languages.  I speak lots.  English was like my…”  Kara paused, thinking it through.  “My seventeenth I think.  I’ve picked up a few—”  Looking down at her arm where Lena had grabbed her tightly, Kara paused.  Gaze flicking up, she asked, “Something wrong?”

“You spoke sixteen languages before you came to Earth?”

“Uh...yes?  Is that a good surprise or bad surprise?”

“It’s a ‘you’re teaching me’ surprise,” Lena said with a final squeeze of Kara’s arm before letting go.

“Well, okay then.  Wow, you seem really excited about that.  I didn’t realize you were so easy, Lena.”  Kara’s broad smile faltered and then her eyes grew wide.  “Uh...that came out completely wrong.”

“No, it didn’t,” Lena replied deadpan.  As Kara blushed, Lena slid away slightly on the bed.  “Sorry, I can be a bit...no.  No, I’m not sorry.  This is honesty time, isn’t it?”

“Y...yes.”

Sliding closer to Kara again, Lena said, “Then honestly, I’m tired of dropping hints and watching you walk away from me.  That’s my honesty.  If you’re going to keep walking away from me, I’m not going to be here as more than a friend when you come back.  I’ll always be your friend, Kara, but if you want more, and I do want more, then let’s have more.”

“I do but…”  Eyes flicking down, Kara said, “You’re...uh, you’re not wearing any pants.”

“And?”

“Oh, Rao.”  With a deep breath, Kara looked up at the ceiling for a moment before meeting Lena’s gaze again.  “I think maybe we should set some boundaries.”

“Do they involve pants?”

“Lena,” Kara said with a small laugh.  “I don’t know if I can have this conversation with you if you don’t have any pants on.”

“It must be a Kryptonian thing, Kara, because I have a much easier time talking to a woman without pants.  Maybe if you took your—”

“Lena.”

“Right.  You want me to put pants on, don’t you?”

Wide-eyed, Kara replied, “Do I **want** you to?”

“And that was a perfect answer, Miss Danvers.  I’ll be right back.”

Kara wasn’t so much watching Lena’s legs as the other woman walked away, the way the woman’s shirt rode over her butt and the dark green was in contrast to pale legs, as Lena just happened to be in the direction that Kara was looking.  Coincidences happened all the time.  Lena’s knowing smirk over her shoulder as she reached the closet put an end to the coincidence and started Kara’s blush.

“Better?” Lena asked as she sat back down wearing a pair of dark-gray slacks.

“I don’t know about better but…”  Kara grinned.  “It will help me maintain eye contact.”

“Good to know.  I do have a quick question before we continue.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“I’m assuming you weren’t having sex in high school.”

With a slow nod, Kara said, “That’s not a question, but it’s a fair assumption.”

“Alex, she didn’t have a lot of dating luck when she was younger, right?”

“Uh, I guess?  She was in the closet and really…”  Brows furrowed, Kara asked, “Is there a question here?”

“Yes.  Is it fair to assume that this room is, how shall we say, virgin territory?”

“ **Anyway** ,” Kara said loudly as she cleared her throat, ignoring Lena’s knowing smile.  “We were going to talk about boundaries.”

“I’m wearing pants.”

“I think that may be a good boundary.”

Squinting, Lena tilted her head to the left.  “Are you saying you don’t want to have sex?”

“Oh, I’m not saying I don’t want to have sex.  I’ve seen a lot of horror movies, and the one thing I learned is that the people who are having sex get killed.  Do you know why?”

“Because it’s a trope, Kara.  Do you know what a trope is?”

“It’s because they’re too busy getting busy to notice the ax-wielding maniac walking up behind them.  That’s not going to be us.”

“But you’re virtually impervious.  An ax can’t hurt you.”

“But it can kill you, Lena.”

“Hold on,” Lena said, holding a hand in front of her.  “Are you honestly saying you don’t want to have sex because you’ve seen too many horror movies?  I’m not arguing with you, Kara.  You can just say no.  I respect a no, any no, but I’m not following your logic here.”

“It’s Janković.  Someone is trying to kill you, and keeping you alive has to be my first priority.  Until we catch him, I think we should keep things a bit...more pants on.”

“Oh.”  Nodding, Lena asked, “Okay, when you say pants on do you mean—?”

“Clothes on,” Kara clarified.  “I think we maybe shouldn’t...anything?”

“She said as a question.”

“Well, I want you input.  What do you think?”

Rising and walking away for a moment, Lena remained quiet as she thought things through.  It was several, long, pad of thumb biting moments before Lena turned again and dropped both arms down to her sides.  With a heavy sigh, she said, “Well, we’ve been this patient this long, now haven’t we?”

“We have,” Kara said with a smile.

“So, for now, we’ll just be friends?”  Though Lena’s lips curled up, it could hardly be called a smile.

Rising, Kara held out a hand as she said, “Actually, I was thinking of something you’d said earlier.”

“Which something?”

“About us kidding ourselves about not dating.  That we were doing it but hadn’t put a name to it.  What if we put a name to it?”

“So, you want to date?”

Smiling, Kara took a step forward.  “I do.  Do you want—?”

“Yes,” Lena replied as she stepped closer also.  As she laughed, Kara laughed also.  “We have been idiots, haven’t we?”

“I guess.”  Rubbing the back of her neck, Kara wandered a bit closer as she reached out toward Lena.  “So, I guess this means we’re dating huh?”

“I guess it does,” Lena replied, taking Kara’s hand in hers.  “Now we’re only mostly lying to your foster mother.”

“Right.  That.  Well, at least she’ll be less disappointed in us now when she finds out.”

“Disappointed?”  Lena winced.  “Oh, I was just hoping she’d be angry.  Maybe she’d just send someone to kill us or something?”

Laughing, Kara took Lena’s other hand in hers.  “No such luck.  She’ll probably just say, ‘Oh, girls.  How could you?’  Then she’ll shake her head at us.  If we’re really unlucky, she might even walk away for a little while.  You know, go to her room because she needs some time by herself and because she can’t look at us right then.”

Eyes wide and mouth agape, Lena said, “That’s much worse.  Maybe I’ll hire an assassin to kill us, or maybe we should just get married.”  When she felt Kara tense in her hands, she added, “I was kidding.  Luthor humor you know.”

“I know,” Kara replied, her voice a little high and she cleared her throat.  “I’m getting used to your sense of humor.”

“Clearly,” Lena said with a smile.  Stepping closer, she ran her hands up Kara’s arms.  “So, what does this dating entail exactly?”

“Uh, well, pretty much what we were doing before I guess.  We go to lunch and dinner together.  We watch movies and TV.  Now, though, we do it honestly.  If I need to cancel plans, I don’t have to pretend it was a family emergency or a work emergency.”

“You do realize the work emergency one wasn’t going to keep working now that I’m our boss, don’t you?”

“There’s that too.  Hey, now we’re not lying to HR.  That’s good.”

“Also legal,” Lena agreed as she squeezed one of Kara’s upper arms.  “So, outside of this clothes on boundary, what are our restrictions?”

Looking down to where Lena was playing with her bicep, Kara asked, “What are you doing?”

“Hmmm?”

“To my arm, what are you doing?”

“Exactly what I’ve been wanting to do this whole time.”  Lena smiled, squeezing Kara’s arm again.  “You’ve been ‘look but don’t touch’ for over a year, Miss Danvers.  Now I get Kara’s personality and Supergirl’s physique.  It is a Merry Christmas indeed.  Maybe the universe is finally making it up to me for the previous twenty years of my life.”

“When you’re done with whatever it is you’re doing down there, my eyes are up here, Miss Luthor.”

Smirking as she looked up at Kara, Lena said, “Well, this sounds like an HR issue in the making.”

“Luckily, we’re not at work.  You were asking about boundaries?”

“Yes, what are they?  You mentioned doing what we’d been doing but actually calling it dating.  Do you mean you want us to act just the way we had been but acknowledge that it isn’t platonic?”

“Well, until Janković is caught, I don’t want us to get too caught up in the moment.  How’s your self-control?”

“Oh, it’s crap,” Lena admitted as she stepped away from Kara.  “I’m not saying that if we were making out that I wouldn’t be able to stop but…” Letting her gaze run up and down Kara, Lena bit her lip.  “No, if you were willing, I’d have sex with you.  My self-control is crap.”

“I think mine is too.  I’m actually a little bit nervous about us sleeping in the same room together.”

“Two beds.”

“Thank Rao.”  Kara sighed.  “So, we’re dating, but until Janković is caught, we don’t...anything?”

“Argh!” Flopping onto a bed, Lena said, “I take back what I said about the universe being kind to me.  This may be the cruelest thing it’s done to me yet.  So near yet so far.”

With a laugh, Kara sat next to Lena and took her hand.  “Hey, it won’t be so bad.  I bet there are tons we don’t know about each other, and now we can tell each other everything.  This will be great.  Plus, we get to pace ourselves.  This will be really romantic.”

“You’re amazing, you know?”

With a shrug, Kara replied, “I think we’re going to be worth waiting for.  I’m excited you chose me when you could be with anyone.  I’m surprised.”

“Oh, Kara, hugging is okay, right?”

“Hugging is awesome.”

Curling into Kara’s arms, Lena said, “It’s always been you.  There’s never been anyone else.”

“What about Kate?”

“Not even close.  She didn’t even come in second.”

Curious, Kara asked, “Who came in second?”

“No one, silly.  There was just you.”

Sighing, Kara pulled Lena a bit closer.  Holding the other woman against her, she inhaled and said, “You smell amazing.”

“It’s my shampoo.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s just you.  You always smell amazing.”  As Lena looked up at her, they both broke away.  “Boundaries.  Yeah, we need to discuss them.”

“Of course.  So, outside of what we’ve discussed, what are they?”

“First, I’d like to talk about phone usage.”

“You’re worried about me touching your phone?”

Kara shook her head.  “No, that’s fine.  I just mean, maybe we could both try and stay off our phones until this whole situation is resolved.  We’re supposed to be getting to know each other better, not checking social media.  Make sense?”

“I may have to work.”

“That’s fine.  I might have to too.  My boss is sooooo demanding.”

“Adorable,” Lena said with a smile.  “So, unless it’s work...wait, what about Alex?”

“Okay, good point.  We’ll agree to take calls from the DEO and about any Janković updates in general, but other than that or for work, let’s try and focus on our relationship when we’re here.  How does that sound?”

“I think that’s what a vacation is like.  I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never really experienced one personally.  If I’m doing it wrong, will you correct me?”

“Oh, I definitely will.  I’ll get very strict with you.”  Kara smiled.

Lena smiled back, but then stopped and raised one finger.  “Maybe we should both try and not flirt so much.  I mean, if we’re supposed to keep a G rating here, I know I don’t need any encouragement to do otherwise.  Lead me not into encouragement, Miss Danvers.  I know the way so well I have frequent flyer miles.”

“Ah...intriguing, but I understand what you’re saying.  I don’t really think I flirt but—”

“You flirt.”

Brows furrowing, Kara said, “I do?”

“Apparently not on purpose, but you flirt.  We should stick to first names, and don’t call me boss or tease me about it, okay?”

Still frowning a bit, Kara nodded.

“If we’re staying off our phones, I won’t have to deal with the emoji storms from you.”

“Emoji storms?  You don’t like when I send you emojis?”

“Oh, I didn’t say that, darling.”  Lena paused.  “Is that all right?  Is calling you darling all right?”

“Yeah...question about that.  Do you really do that because you don’t want to mix up women’s names?  When you were talking to Kate—”

“I was mad at you, and I knew you were right there and could hear me.  I said that to…”  With an eye roll, Lena said, “I said it to hurt your feelings.  I was trying to score on you.”

“It worked.”

“I’m sorry, Kara.  I wasn’t in a very good place then, but it doesn’t excuse my behavior.  I treated you poorly.  That’s inexcusable.  You were forced to suffer with my foul mood to ensure my safety.  No matter what had happened with us before, you deserved better treatment than that.  All I can say is that going forward, you will receive better treatment from me.”

“Lena, we’ve both made mistakes.  I don’t want to forget them, but I want us to agree they’re in the past and learn from them.  We need to forgive each other and ourselves if this relationship is going to succeed.  So, forgiven?”

“Forgiven,” Lena agreed.  “Me too?”

“Of course.”  Kara smiled broadly.

“This feels like a kissing moment.”

“It does, but we shouldn’t.  That’s a boundary.”

“Bother,” Lena sighed.  “Any other bothersome boundaries?”

“I think we’ll have to figure those out as we go.  If either of us discovers something that we think should be a boundary, we’ll talk about it.  How does that sound?”

“Dreadful, but I agree.  So, does Eliza think I was cheating on you with someone named Kate?”

Kara laughed.  “No, she thinks I needed to act like an adult and learn how to communicate with my fiancée, so she sent me up here to do it.  She even threatened to take away my latkes if I didn’t do it.”

“Wow, you’re foster mom plays hardball.”

Kara laughs. “Yeah, she takes no prisoners.”

“Unlike my mother who does take prisoners.”

Mouth agape, Kara stared.

“Sorry, too soon?”

“You have the oddest sense of humor.”  Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Kara placed it on the bedside table.  “So, we’ll leave them here?”

“What if Alex calls?”

“I’ll hear it.  What’s your ringtone for Alex?”

“Nobody Does It Better.”

Kara froze.  She didn’t even blink.

“It’s by Carly Simon,” Lena supplied.

“I know who sings it.”

“All right.  You just looked confused or something, so I thought—”

“Why would you have that for my sister’s ringtone?  Don’t you think the lyrics are inappropriate?   ‘And the way that you hold me whenever you hold me.  There’s some kind of magic inside you.  That keeps me from runnin’ but just keeps you comin’.  How’d you learn to do the things you do?’  What’s that about, Lena?”

Eyebrows slowly rising, Lena said, “It’s a James Bond theme song.  You know, a spy song since she’s with the...I thought that was funny.”

“What if I had ‘Criminal’ by Fiona for Lex’s ringtone?  Wouldn’t you think that was weird?”

“If Lex we’re calling and texting you, I’d think that was weird, yes.”  When Kara just stared at her, Lena reached across and grabbed her phone from the table, pulling it into herself.  “I’ll just change that.”  She typed a few things.  “How about the James Bond Theme, no words.  Better?”

“Yeah.  Sorry, I guess I’m…”  Kara rubbed at the back of her neck.  “I don’t know what this is.”

“It’s something we’ll talk about when we’re not hiding from a professional assassin and trying to play nice with your foster mother.  You and I have to work on some trust issues.  We’ll get there.”  She placed her phone on the table next to Kara’s again.  “Now what?”

Patting Lena’s leg, Kara stood up.  “Come on.  We put the tree in the tree stand, but we’ve been waiting for you to decorate it so we could do it as a family.”

Jerking a bit as she rose, Lena said, “A family?”

“Yes, a family.  The engagement being fake or not, you’re family, Lena.  Get used to it.  Now come on.  Let’s go down there before Eliza comes looking for us.”  Kara smiled.  “Plus, she promised me milk and cookies when we got downstairs.”

As Kara took her hand and they left the room, Lena said, “I thought you just ate.”

“Well, yeah, but there’s always room for milk and cookies.  That’s like a saying or something.”

“The saying is, ‘There’s always room for Jell-O’.”

Kara shrugged.  “Close enough.”

Together, hand-in-hand, Kara and Lena descended the stairs.  Eliza sat reading a medical journal, but she put it down and smiled up at the girls as they entered the room.

“Well, that looks promising.  Good conversation?”

“Amazing conversation,” Lena said as she looped an arm around Kara’s waist.  “Thanks for browbeating this one into it.”

“Hey, I would have figured it out.”

“Doubtful,” Lena said, but she hugged Kara more tightly.

“She just needed a little nudge.”

“And to be threatened with a lack of food?” Lena asked.

“That wasn’t a little threat.  That was Eliza’s latkes,” Kara argued, but she put her arms around Lena pulling the other woman close, pressing a kiss to Lena’s forehead.  “But, if I screw this up and lose you, I don’t deserve latkes.”

“Wow, maybe you two should just set the date.  If Kara loves you more than my latkes, you’re practically married already.”  As Eliza rose, she failed to notice the startled expression on the girls’ faces.  “All right.  So the tree is up, but we didn’t decorate it yet.  We always do that as a family.  So, lights first.”

“Right, lights, then ornaments, then garland,” Kara said rubbing her hands together.  “Want me to hold the tree from the base and turn it for you ladies?”

“Sounds like you two have this process all planned out.  Good thing I’m with professionals who can show me the ropes,” Lena said as she joined Eliza by the string of lights.

Kara laughed.  “Oh, yeah.  The Danvers are decorating pros.  How do you Luthors usually do this?”

“The usual Luthor way,” Lena said with a smirk and a shrug.  “We call in a professional.”

Eliza and Kara exchanged confused looks, and then Kara asked, “What does that mean?  Don’t you decorate your own tree?”

Lena laughed and scratched a bit at the back of her neck.  “Oh, Lillian never let us touch the tree.  She had people come in and take care of it, and we were only allowed in the room for pictures and during the holiday party.  The ornaments were quite expensive, some of them antiques so…”

“So, you’ve never actually decorated a tree?”

“I expect I did something as a child before I was adopted I mean, but I don’t remember it.”  Swinging her arms a bit, Lena said, “This will be a first.”

Kara’s gaze drifted a bit before settling back onto Lena’s, and then she smiled and embraced Lena again.  “As a family.  That’s kind of awesome.”

“I...I suppose it is,” Lena said into the hug.

Breaking away, Kara got onto the floor and slid under the tree.  “Okay, this is how we usually do it.  I turn the tree, and Eliza and Alex stay put and get the lights on.  It’s easier this way.”

“She’s very handy around the house.”  In a whisper, Eliza added, “Except for the kitchen.”

“I can still hear you.”

“Oh, I don’t know.  I’ve found her useful in every room,” Lena said.

With a throat clearing, Kara said, “Boundaries.”

“Right.  Sorry.”  Lena looked over at Eliza.  “So, how do we start?”

The decorating of the tree went smoothly.  After the lights were up, the ladies put on ornament after ornament.  Some were hand blown glass and seemed to meet with Lena’s approval.  Others apparently confused her at first.  They were popsicles sticks glued together, pieces of construction paper, yarn, things written in crayon, more arts-n-crafts projects done by children than anything ‘proper’ for a tree.

Holding one in her hand, Eliza smiled, “Alex made this in the first grade.  She brought it home for us to put on the tree, and of course, we did.”

“Is it supposed to be Santa Claus?” Lena asked looking at the small picture colored in with the dark beard and dark hat.

“Yup.”

“Why does he—”

“Hobo Santa,” Eliza explained.

Blinking several times, Lena said, “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either.  Somewhere she learned the word and had gotten an understanding of hobos.  We spent weeks hearing about hobos.  She came home from school with this.”  Eliza held out the ornament.

“Hobo Santa,” Lena said.

Eliza nodded.  “Hobo.  I have no idea what started it or why it stopped, but she was six.  We just let it go, and it went.  We have this lovely ornament, so we’ll never forget it, never forget that time.”

“Huh.  My mother would never have allowed something like that on her tree.”

With a loving smile, Eliza hung the ornament front of the tree at eye level.  “Her loss.”

Arms crossed and head cocked to the side, Lena nodded once.  “Yes, yes, it is.”

“Okay, well, that’s all of the ornaments,” Kara said putting the lid back on the last of the boxes.  “Usually, we have a new one for everyone each year.  Sorry for coming unannounced, Eliza.  Maybe we can make plans to come back next year?”

When Kara looked over at her, Lena nodded and smiled.

“Well, when I sent you girls into town yesterday, I took a little trip myself.”  Moving over to the desk in the corner of the room, Eliza pulled out two small boxes.  “Kara, I was going to mail yours home to you, but I picked up this one for Lena.”  She handed each of the girls a box.

“Eliza, you didn’t—”

Hand raised, Eliza cut off Lena’s words.  “It’s a Danvers family tradition.  Lena, welcome to the family.”

Looking down at the gift in her hands and most decidedly not meeting Eliza’s gaze, Lena quietly said, “Thank you.”

Ripping into her package with a grin, Kara said, “I’m excited.  What’d you get me?”  Paper on the floor, Kara pulled out her ornament.  Inside was a little golden ball with some carved lines on it.  Sticking out of the sides was a pair of silver wings.  It had Kara’s name and the year on it.  Gasping, Kara pulled it from the box, letting the container fall to the ground.  “A golden snitch!  I love it!”  She hurled herself into Eliza’s arms.  “Thank you!  I love you!”

Laughing, Eliza hugged Kara.  “I’m so glad, not that I had any doubts.  I love you too, sweetheart.”

“I’m going to put it on the tree,” Kara said, as she moved over to the Christmas tree and hung her newest ornament.

Lena watched the placement with fascination.  Near Kara’s newest gift were several other ornaments, namely: a pair of black-rimmed glasses, a green ornament with the words ‘Polyjuice’ on the exterior, a little black and yellow sweater with an ‘H’ on it, a gold ornament with a black badger on it, and a miniature, intricately carved wand hanging from a red cord.  Kara’s name and different years appeared on each of these.

“We’ve got a theme going, do we?” Lena asked with a knowing smirk.

Her smile bright, Kara turned and nodded.  “I’m a Hufflepuff.  What are you?”

“A Luthor.”

“You know what I mean.”  She leaned a bit closer, inspecting Lena.  “What are you?”

“What do you think?”

Stroking her chin, Kara leaned back.  “Well, intelligence and knowledge are obvious, so that’s Ravenclaw.”

Lena nodded.

“But!  You work hard, you’re dedicated, and you’re one of the fairest people I’ve ever met, Lena.  That’s Hufflepuff.”  Kara smiled, but then it faded.  “You’re incredibly ambitious though, really cunning and resourceful like a Slytherin.  Huh.”  Kara sighed.  “You’re also really brave and daring...like really, really brave.  Less brave would be better.  It worries me.  It’s very...Gryffindor of you.”

With an eye roll, Lena nodded.  “So, I’m a…?”

“I don’t know.  You’re a Ravenpuffslytherdor?”  Slapping her arms against her thighs, Kara said, “I just don’t know.”

“So, I’m inscrutable.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I could scrut you.”  As they stared at each other in silence for several seconds, Kara waved a hand in front of her and said, “You should open your ornament.”

“Good idea.”  Lena carefully peeled each piece of tape off, not tearing the paper.

“Do you need help with that?” Kara offered.

“I’ve got it.”

“It’s just that—”

“I said, I’ve got it.”

“Do you always do this with presents?”

“Kara?”  Eliza got her foster daughter’s attention and said, “Enough please.”

“Sorry.”  Mumbling, Kara added, “Note to self, use gift bags.”

When she had the gift open, Lena folded the paper and laid it off to the side.  She carefully opened the box and pulled out her ornament.  Inside was a little wine glass, her name and the year etched into the glass.  A smile grew on her lips, and she looked over at Eliza and said, “You know me so well.”

Eliza laughed.  “Next year it will be a muscle car ornament.”

Lena gasped.  “Don’t tease.”

“Who’s teasing?”  Eliza said as she stepped over and embraced Lena, kissing her on the temple.  “Well, now it’s official.  You’re part of the Danvers family now.  You can’t get rid of us, right Kara?”

“Absolutely.  You’re stuck with us.”

“Damn, and I was planning to sneak out after you two went to sleep tonight.”

Coming up on Lena’s other side, Kara joined in the hug.  “Nope, no sneaking out.  We’ve got you.  You’re not going anywhere.”

A hand reaching up to grab an arm of each of the other women’s, Lena smiled.  “Best kidnapping to date and I have quite a range of comparisons.  My first one was when I was seven, you know.”  As they let her go and looked at her with varying levels of surprise through shock, Lena said, “Oh, yes.  He was a driver we hired, and our security checks were lacking at that point, apparently.  They only had me for five hours.  The kidnapping itself was actually rather pleasant.  I had cookies, and we played poker.  I won $280.  Their tells were horrible.”

“Uhhhhh, garland?”  Kara said looking over at Eliza.

“I think it’s that time,” Eliza agreed.

After Lena hung her ornament, it took a few minutes for the trio to put the garland on the tree carefully.  When it was done, Kara lit up the tree, and they all stood back and smiled.

“It’s beautiful,” Lena said.  “Thank you for making me part of this.”

Holding out the tree topper to Lena, Kara said, “You get to put this on since you’re the youngest.”

Looking around, Lena said, “I’ll need a stepstool.”

“Or a super fiancée,” Kara said, holding her arms out.

With a smile, Lena put one arm over Kara’s shoulder and let Kara wrap her arms around her waist.  “I’m not used to doing this unless I fall off my balcony first.”

“Oh, would you prefer we start on the roof?”

“No, this is good,” Lena said with a laugh.  “Heights are not my best thing.”

“You’ll get used to them,” Eliza said as Kara slowly lifted Lena off the ground.  

Eliza moved to the side, taking several pictures of Kara holding Lena as the younger woman placed the star on top of the tree.  As they touched back down, and Lena pulled her arm back, Kara kept her arms wrapped around Lena, and Lena held Kara’s arms tightly.  Kara’s head rested on Lena’s shoulder, and she laid a gentle kiss on the other woman’s cheek.  Turning Lena smiled back at Kara, both women ignoring Eliza clicking pictures.  Foreheads pressed together, they closed their eyes and smiled.

“Merry Christmas,” Kara sighed happily.

“Yes, it is.  It finally is,” Lena agreed.

Cookies and milk were followed by popcorn and movie time.  As Kara cried through ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ she curled into Lena who held her close.

“She does this every year,” Eliza said.  “Someone always has to hold her.  I guess it’s your job now.”

Combing her fingers through Kara’s hair, Lena said, “Another job huh?  Well, happy to have it.  This one has the best perks so far.  My other positions aren’t so...snuggly.”

Kara laid against Lena until she sat up, saying, “He got his wings.”

“Yes he did, darling.  Are you okay?”

Kara nodded.  “That one always gets to me.”

“Then why do you watch it?”

“Because it always gets to me,” Kara said, wiping tears from under her eyes.

“Ah.”  Lena frowned, scrunching her brows together.  “What do you need now?”

“A happy movie?”

“That sounds like a plan.”

“How about ‘Love Actually’?” Kara suggests.

“Sure.”

“Have you seen it?”

“No.”

“Lena.”  Grabbing the remote, Kara flipping through the options to get to the movie.  “You have to see it.  I’m disappointed in you.  How could you not have seen it?”

“I’ve been busy, Kara.  I got my Master’s Degree when I was nineteen, was CEO of one fortune 500 company by the time I was twenty-two and a second by the time I was twenty-four.”

Arms crossed, Kara studied the other woman and then said, “Fine, I’ll give you a pass this time only because you’re adorable, and I’m very kind.”

“I...thank you.  I need to take a restroom break before you start the next movie.”

“Okay.”  Leaping up from the couch, Kara grabbed the empty popcorn bowl and their glasses.  Calling out to Lena before she made it all the way upstairs, Kara asked, “Hey, you want another drink?”

Bending down on the stairs, Lena said, “Just water thanks.”

Kara nodded, watching Lena disappear upstairs.  With a smile and a sigh, she turned to Eliza.  “You want anything?”

“I’m fine thank you.  Are you having a good day?”

“Awesome.  She’s amazing, isn’t she?”

“She certainly seems to be.”

When Eliza looked back at her journal, Kara said, “Hey, I’m dating her.”

Eyebrows high and smile growing, Eliza nodded.  “Yes, yes you are, sweetheart.  Everything okay?”

Kara nodded.  “Just really happy.  Thanks for having us here, Eliza.  I think Lena needed some good family time.  I needed this time with her too.”

“I’m glad I could supply it.  You girls are welcome to stay as long as you want, and you’re always welcome back.”

“I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot of us.”  Lifting the glasses, Kara added, “I’m going to get Lena more water.”

As she watched Kara leave, Eliza went back to her journal and muttered, “I have no idea how your sister didn’t know you two were dating.  The way you feel about each other is as plain as the nose on my face.”

The couple watched ‘Love Actually’ with Kara pointing out some of her favorite parts with great enthusiasm as if Lena weren’t attentively watching the same parts.

At one point, bouncing slightly in her seat, Kara said, “Okay, watch this part with Jamie and Aurelia.  He doesn’t speak Portuguese yet, and she doesn’t speak English.  Then the character of Jamie said. ‘It’s my favorite time of day, driving you.’  The character of Aurelia spoke in Portuguese, and the subtitles read, ‘It’s the saddest part of my day, leaving you.’ while Kara sighed.  “Aren’t they the sweetest?  They’re so in love, and they can’t even tell each other.”

“Imagine that,” Lena replied.

When Kara looked over, Lena was looking up at her.  “Lena—”

Squeezing Kara’s knee, Lena said, “Don’t interrupt the movie.  You’re right.  It’s really good.”

They fell into silence for the next few minutes, but soon enough Kara had gotten swept back into the excitement of the movie again.

When the movie ended, Kara asked, “Okay, favorite love story?”

“Oooohhhh, that’s hard.”

Kara nodded.  “Right?”

Brows furrowed, Lena considered. “Hmmm...Well, if I have to pick just one, I pick...Sam.”

“Sam, really?  Not Natalie and the Prime Minister?”

“Everyone was amazing, but Sam was this little kid, and he summed it up for me when he said, ‘Let’s do it.  Let’s get the shit kicked out of us by love.’ That’s my love story right there, shit-kicked by love.”

“Ouch.  I feel accused.”

“Don’t.  You’re amazing.”  Kissing Kara on the cheek, Lena added, “However, you’re very Natalie.”

“Natalie?  How am I Natalie?  Natalie cursed all the time.”

“That was her form of babbling.  She cursed when she was nervous.  You’re Natalie.”

“I am nothing like—”

Laughing, Eliza didn’t even look up from her journal, just licked her finger, flipped the page, and said, “You are soooooo Natalie.”

While Lena’s laughter joined Eliza’s, Kara crossed her arms and pouted.

“Oh, don’t pout,” Lena said, laying her head on Kara’s shoulder.  “I’m sorry I teased you, but I adored your movie.  Thank you for sharing it with me.  What do you want to do now?”

“Another movie?”

“Oh, good lord.”  Stretching her back, Lena said, “I don’t get this stiff sitting at my desk all day.  Before we start the next one, I’m going to get a cup of tea.  Does anyone want anything?”

“Cocoa?”

Lena smiled.  “Of course.  Pick out whatever you want since I was so awful and teased you.”

“I’d already planned to.”  When Lena tried to stand, Kara took her hand and tugged gently, smiling.  “Hold on.”  Smiling, she kissed the other woman’s cheek.

Her smile growing, Lena asked, “Would you like cookies with your cocoa?”

“I get cookies for a kiss on the cheek?  What would I get for…?”  Sitting back, Kara nodded.  “That would be great, thanks.”

Her smile a bit tight, Lena tore her gaze from Kara’s as she looked over at Eliza.  “Can I get you a tea?”

“Actually, I’d love that.  Peppermint?”

“Certainly.”

Pulling off her blanket, Eliza made to rise.  “Can I help you?”

“Please, no.  Just relax.  I can pour some hot water.  That is how you make tea, right?  I forgot to ask my butler for the recipe before we left the city.”

“Considering the fact that you’re making dinner, I’d be worried if I hadn’t already eaten something that you baked.”

“Lena’s making dinner?” Kara perked up.  “What are you making?”

“A surprise,” Lena said with a wink as she turned and walked toward the kitchen.

When Lena had left the room, Eliza said, “Kara, sweetie?”

“Yes, Eliza?” Kara asked, turning as she relaxed into the couch once again.

“I appreciate you girls trying to be considerate around me, but you don’t have to be this extreme.  I know what’s going on between you and Lena.”

“What?  No.”  Pushing to sit upright again, Kara shook her head.  “There’s nothing going on with Lena and me.  I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Kara, you and Lena are engaged.  You’re living together.  I heartily approve of Lena.  Your mother isn’t going to be shocked if you kiss her in front of me.  Believe me, I’ve had the unfortunate timing of walking in on much more with Alex and Maggie.  That sister of yours is definitely trying to make up for lost time.  Just keep your clothes on out of your bedroom, okay?”

With a nervous laugh, Kara looked away.  “It’s not like that, Eliza.”

“Kara, I’m a mother and a scientist.  I know what it’s like.”

“No, I mean...this relationship, being out in front of people is new for us.  Lena and I just aren’t used to being public even privately like this.  It’s not you.  We just need time.”

“If you say so.”  Eliza shivered slightly.

“Are you okay?”

“Just a chill,” Eliza assured.  “I haven’t turned the heat on in the house yet.  It will warm up when dinner cooks.”

“Want me to make a fire?” Kara offered.

“Would you mind?”

“Of course not,” Kara said heading over to the fireplace and seeing they were a bit low on wood.  “I’m going to grab some wood from the pile outside.  I’ll be right back.”

“I’m going to go grab a sweater.  This t-shirt isn’t cutting it,” Eliza said as Kara headed out.

In the kitchen, Lena had a kettle coming to boil on the stovetop.  Three mugs sat out on the island, two with tea bags and one filled with cocoa mix and marshmallows.  A tray sat out there also, and Lena was putting cookies on a plate nearby.  As a blast of air hit her, Lena stiffened and turned around, but she didn’t see anything out of order just the slight movement of the curtains.  With a shrug, she went back to filling the plate with cookies.

Outside, Kara balanced logs on one of her arms before putting the tarp over the woodpile again.  She promised herself she’d take a few minutes to cut a new pile so it could cure.  Eliza had made no secret that she liked to light fires for the mood and the slight bit of warmth they provided to the house, and Kara certainly enjoyed s’mores.

“Mmmm...s’mores.”

Kara paused at the kitchen door once again, opening and closing it carefully behind her, but then flashing out of the room again.  In her wake, Lena was left to once more turn at the odd breeze in the kitchen.

“Hello?”

“Yeah, hun?” Kara asked as she placed wood down at the fireplace and walked back to the kitchen, pushing the door open and stepping in.  “Do you need me?”

“I thought…” Looking back and forth, Lena shook her head.  “Just my imagination.  Never mind.”

“Ooooh, chocolate chip.”

“Kara!” Lena feigned a swing at Kara as she smiled.

The other woman retreated with a cookie in hand and a smile.  “Yum!”  Within seconds, the cookie was consumed, and Kara began to neatly stack the logs in the fireplace.  She made sure the flume was open then crouched down again and used her heat vision to light the logs.  A quickly waving hand kept the air moving while she got the logs well lit and the fire even and roaring.  Standing, Kara wiped sweat from her brow and unbuttoned her button-down shirt.  She pulled it off until she was just wearing the tank top underneath.

“All right, cookies and cocoa for you, Miss Danvers.  I was going to put whipped cream in your cocoa, but imagine my surprise to find out you hadn’t already eaten all of the shoulders—”  As she placed the tray on the table and turned, Lena looked at Kara silhouetted in front of the fire, and her mind veered off course.

“I’m sorry, did you just accuse me of eating shoulders?” Kara asked with a laugh.  “I don’t think I’ve ever been that hungry.  Okay, maybe once.  Well, maybe twice but I was—” Suddenly a blanket was wrapped around her.  “What…?  But I’m hot.”

“I noticed,” Lena replied, her voice deep and eyes heavy.

“Oh, come on, Lena.  I just want to—” As Kara tried to pull off the blanket, Lena grabbed it and tossed it over her shoulders again.  Then the other woman got behind her and pushed her toward the front door.  “What are you doing?”

“I’m sure it’s cooler outside.  Why don’t you find out?”

“Well, but I—”

“Outside, Kara.  Outside.”

“Yeah, but—”  The door opened, and she was shoved out, though she could have easily resisted, and then it was closed behind her.  Turning, Kara stared confusedly at the closed door.  “Lena?”  She pulled off the blanket, balling it up in her arms and listened to the movement inside.  Knocking once, she called out again, “Hey, Lena?”

When the door opened again, Kara smiled, but it was just Lena reaching out and tugging away the blanket.  “Eliza’s chilly.  Here.”

Taking her cocoa, Kara spoke hurriedly but didn’t finish her sentence before the door close again.  “Can I get my...cookies?  Oooh, marshmallows.”

Eventually, Eliza let Kara back into the house.  They were both confused about what happened, but after putting her over-shirt on, Kara was not only allowed to have cookies, but Lena got her a second cup of cocoa.  They watched ‘Elf’ which Kara thought was a comedy masterpiece and Lena felt was a combined punishment for the earlier mocking and kicking Kara out of the house.  After the movie, Lena took the dishes into the kitchen and started dinner.

“Do you need your sou chef?” Kara offered with a smile.

“I would love my sou chef.  I mean...ahem, I’d love my sou chef’s help.”  Grabbing food from the refrigerator, Lena lined up ingredients on the island.  She placed the head of cabbage, a garlic clove, green onions, and some ginger out.

Frowning, Kara said, “That’s like vegetable stuff.”

Smiling, Lena picked up the cabbage and shook it in Kara’s direction.  “I know, and you’re going to eat it.  Then you’ll owe me a million dollars.”

“We didn’t make that bet.”

“Okay, then what are we betting?” Lena said as she placed the cabbage back down.

“I can just not eat this, you know?”

Turning and leaning her elbows on the island, Lena said, “Impossible.  You won’t be able to resist.”

“Oh, your cooking is irresistible?”

“I’m Lena Luthor.  Everything about me is.”

“Ah…”  Shaking a finger at Lena, Kara said, “What do you want to bet?”

“How about, if you eat this, and you like it, then when we have to tell Eliza the truth about this facade we’re keeping up, you’ll do it, and I don’t have to be there.”

“But if I don’t eat it, or I try it and don’t like it, you’ll do it?”

Lena nodded.  “And you don’t even have to be there.  I’m trusting in your honor here, Kara, that you’ll give this an honest try and if you like it, you’ll tell the truth.”

“Deal,” Kara said extending a hand.

Shaking Kara’s hand, Lena said, “This is even better than the million dollars.  I’m telling you, Kara, never bet against a Luthor.”

“What are you a Sicilian when death is on the line?”

“What?”

Kara stared at Lena for several moments, then said, “Don’t tell me you’ve never seen ‘The Princess Bride’, Lena.”

“Is this another of your ‘must see’ Christmas movies?”

Eyes bulging, Kara stomped across the kitchen, coming back with a big knife and the cutting board.  She grabbed the cabbage and halved it in a smoothed movement as she leaned forward and spoke in a hissing whisper.  “This fake engagement is not going to work out if you don’t sharpen up your movie game, Lena.”

Nodding quickly, Lena said, “Excuse me.”  She headed out to the living.  “Eliza, how serious is Kara about this Princess Bride movie?”

“Oh, my, terribly.  She and Alex used to watch that several times a week.  The girls could recite so many of the scenes from it.”

“Would it be a big a deal as Harry Potter?”

Eliza considered that for a moment.  “I don’t know if anything is as big a deal as Harry Potter, but she did see The Princess Bride first even though Harry Potter was already out.  I think the first two movies were out when she came to Earth.  We didn’t let her watch stuff like that the first year because we weren’t sure she’d understand the difference between fantasy and reality.  I think The Princess Bride might have been the first fantasy novel we let her read, and she loved it.  Then she watched the movie again and again and again and…well, you understand.  Why do you ask?”

“Okay, vegetables are all cut up and in dishes,” Kara said, wiping her hands on her pants legs.  “Eliza, we owe you a cutting board.  I apologize.  Accidents happen.”

As Eliza looked back and forth between the girls, Lena said, “We’ll go into town tomorrow and replace it.  We’re sorry.”

“Accidents happen,” Eliza repeated.

As Lena walked past her, Kara gently took her arm and whispered, “We should probably buy her a new knife too.”  When their gazes met, Kara smiled nervously.  “Sorry.”

Patting Kara’s arm, Lena said, “Accidents happen.”

It was a several minutes later when Lena called Kara back into the kitchen.  Two pans of food were cooking on the stove top, and the oven was pre-heating.  Lena had shed her sweater and was just wearing her t-shirt.  She was crouched down and looking in the back of the cabinets on the lower levels for something.

“Yes?”

“Okay, I surrender,” Lena said into the cabinet.  “I would have sworn that Eliza said the baking trays were in a lower cabinet.  I’ve been through them all twice now.  Where are they?”  After a few minutes, she said, “Did you hear me?”  When there was still silence, she rotated on her toes.  “Kara?”

Blinking slowly, Kara gradually looked up from where’s she’d been staring at Lena and said, “Did you know you had a tattoo?”

“Uh, yes?  I was there when I got it.  I have more than one, actually.  So, the cookie sheets, where do—”

“I never saw it before.”

Standing, Lena twisted a bit and tugged up the bottom of her shirt.  “Oh, well, I was a bit rebellious when I was young.  My mother hated them, and I was less than fond of my mother, so tattoos happened.  Is this a problem?  I know some—”

Lena’s sweater in hand, Kara extended her arm and pressed the cloth into Lena.  “Put this on.”

“Okay, but it’s getting a bit warm in—”

“Put it on or go outside,” Kara said, pointing toward the kitchen door.

“Ah.”  Taking the sweater, Lena pulled it back on.  “Better?”

“Well, I can’t actually see it, but I still remember it.  You have more, huh?”

“Under my clothes, yes.”

Kara’s gaze ran along Lena’s body once.  “Huh.  What did you need?”

“Cookie sheets?”

Pulling open a drawer from underneath the oven, Kara took out a cookie sheet.  “We keep them in here.”

“Thank you.”

Nodding, Kara walked back to the living room, but she looked over her shoulder several times.

In the living room, Eliza looked up and asked, “Are you all right?  Is it too warm in here for you, sweetheart?  You look flushed.”

Dropping onto the couch, Kara said, “Lena has tattoos.”

“Oh, well, she’s an adult.  That’s her choice.  Is anything wrong?”

“Nope,” Kara said, making the P pop on the word.  “I’m just going to sit here and think for a little while, okay?”

“Okay.”  Eliza watched a little smile form on Kara’s lips and smiled to herself too.

Come dinner time, Lena wouldn’t let Eliza or Kara into the kitchen.  Kara was allowed to wait by the kitchen door and take sauces and drinks to the table, but that was it.  Finally, Lena arrived with two bowls in hand.  One was big and overflowing, and she had to cradle it against her torso.  The other was smaller and not as full.

“Do you need help?” Kara offered.

“I’ve got it.  I’ve got it.”

“She’s always like this.  She’s difficult,” Kara complained.  As Lena got closer, she took the larger bowl from the other woman, eyes widening.  “Did you…?  Are these…?  Potstickers?”

Smirking, Lena said, “The larger bowl is pork, and the smaller bowl is vegetarian.  Of course, you don’t have to eat them, Kara.  It’s up to you.”

“But...But…”

“Well, I want some,” Eliza said.  She’d scooped some rice onto her plate, and put some of each type of potsticker onto her plate also.  She poured some of the dipping sauce out, and dipped her first potsticker.  “Mmmmm.  Okay, now I know why Kara proposed.  It’s the cooking, isn’t it?  Actually, I never did hear the engagement story.  Who proposed to whom?”

Stabbing a potsticker, Kara’s gaze met Lena’s.  As Lena raised both eyebrows, Kara dipped her potsticker and took a bite.  She closed her eyes, chewing.  “Damn.”  Nodding she said, “Yeah, it’s the cooking, Eliza.  So, I wanted to ask Lena out for a while, probably from the day I met her, but I couldn’t.  I was scared.  I never thought she’d go out with me.  Luckily, she beat me to it and asked me out.”

As Kara paused and smiled over at her, Lena said, “I was so nervous.  It had been so long since...No, I’d never felt for anyone the way I felt for you.  You were my best friend, and my feelings for you were growing so quickly.  I was worried I was going to ruin it all by trying to change things.”

“That would never have happened.”

“So, who proposed?” Eliza asked.

“I did,” Kara said.  Placing her fork on her plate, she wiped her face.  Turning in her chair so that she faced Lena, she took the other woman’s hand.  “I didn’t have a ring yet, I still don’t, but that didn’t matter.  I’d already wasted too much time.  I just took Lena’s hand in mine and said, ‘Lena, I don’t want to spend another moment waiting for the right moment.  The right moment is every moment I spend with you, and every moment I spend with you is the right moment.  Forever is a concept that doesn’t exist, and yet every race has a word for it.  I never understood why until I met you.  I never understood why until I met someone I wanted to spend forever with.  Lena, will you spend your forever with me?  Will you marry me?’  And then Lena said…”

Slowly nodding, Lena said, “Yes.”  Clearing her throat, she said, “I said yes, of course, or we wouldn’t be here today.”

“Oh, girls.”  Coming around and hugging first Lena and then Kara, Eliza said, “That was beautiful.  It felt like I was there the first time.  Thank you for sharing that with me.”

Pulling her hand back from Lena, Kara smiled.  “Sure thing, Eliza.”

“I want wine,” Eliza said.  “I know Kara isn’t much of a drinker, but how about you, Lena?”

“Oh, hell yes.  There are some reds on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.  They’re all good.”

“I’ll grab one and two glasses,” Eliza said as she left.

“What was that?” Lena whispered.

Kara shrugged.  “She asked about the proposal.  I wasn’t sure what to say.”

“It sounded like you knew exactly what to say.  She asked who proposed, not for you to re-enact it.  I’m surprised you didn’t tell her it was a starry night on my balcony.  Why didn’t you just get down on one knee when you gave your little speech?”

“You think I should have gotten down on one knee?”

“Kara.”  Sighing, Lena said, “We are digging a deeper and deeper hole for ourselves here.  If your sister doesn’t catch Janković soon, Eliza is going to think one of us is pregnant by the time—” Eliza walked back into the room, and Lena stopped talking.

“Everything all right?” Eliza asked as she put the glasses down.

“We were discussing work,” Lena said as she faced forward and put food on her plate.  “I’d hate to bore you with it.”

“L-Corp?”  Eliza asked as she handed the wine bottle over to Kara to open.

“Catco,” Lena replied.  “Nothing scientific, unfortunately.  Kara has been a godsend getting me up to speed on the publishing business, but I still have a lot to learn.”

“Is that causing any issues at work with your relationship?” Eliza asked thanking Kara as she poured the wine.

“We needed to fill out forms for HR, but that’s all.  There’s been chatter, of course, but so what else is new.  I’m more worried about Kara.  I own the company.  People will always gossip about me, but they can’t do anything.  Kara’s coworkers can make her life difficult.”

Chewing, Kara said, “Or, they can kiss my butt because I’m dating the boss, not that it would help them, but they don’t know that.”

“How are the potstickers, darling?”

“Amazing, of course.  I’ll get you back for this.”

“Never bet against a Luthor.”

“What name are you taking, or are you girls hyphenating?” Eliza asked.

Kara and Lena exchanged a look, and then Lena said, “Actually, we hadn’t discussed it.  I suppose we can hyphenate, or Kara could take Luthor.”

Coughing, Kara said, “Excuse me?  You want me to take Luthor?  I’m a Super.”

“I’d noticed,” Lena said dryly.  “What’s wrong with Luthor?”

“It’s not even your birth name.  You should take Danvers.”

“That’s not even your birth name.”  Turning sideways in her chair again, Lena said, “Look, Kara, beyond the fact that I’m working my butt off to reclaim my family name and make something good out of it, do you have any idea how many patents I have in the name Luthor?  Do you know how many philanthropic organizations there are with the name Luthor?  Do you have any idea how many—?”

“Genocidal murders there are with the name Luthor?” Kara said.

Mouth hanging open, Lena said nothing.

“Okay, that was...I’m sorry.  Lena, I’m sorry.  That was totally out of line.  I apologize.  I don’t know where that came from.  I’m really—”

“Excuse me.”  Dropping her napkin on the table, Lena walked into the kitchen.

“I…” Kara watched her go, then looked over at Eliza.  “I’m going to talk to her.”

“You really should.”

Kara found Lena, arms crossed, staring out the big picture window into the backyard.  Standing behind the other woman, Kara gently placed her hands on Lena’s shoulders.  “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not.  I was completely out of line and in the wrong.  I owe you an apology.  You didn’t deserve what I said.”

Turning and taking a step back, Lena replied, “What you said was true, Kara.  My family are genocidal murderers.  That’s what the Luthor name stands for.  I don’t know why I try so hard to make people think otherwise.”

“No, that’s who Lillian and Lex are, but that isn’t you.  You’re going to redefine the name Luthor for everyone including idiotic me who says stupid stuff sometimes.  Everyone will hear the name Luthor and think or invention, ambition, strength, revolution, charity, enrichment, generosity, and benevolence.  It will be the name anyone would want to be connected with, the family anyone would want to be part of.”

“Even a Super?”

“Especially a Super.  Imagine that, a Super and a Luthor?”  Kara smiled.  “What could stop that combination?”  Sliding her hands up and down Lena’s arms, she asked, “Forgive me?”

“I’m not sure that would be very Luthor of me.  How about I just plot my revenge in silence.”

Kara laughed.  “I doubt the silence.”

“Okay, you’ve got me there.  I’ll plot my revenge with some passive-aggressive statements.  That’s how my mother would do it.”

“That sounds like my favorite Luthor.  Want to get back to dinner?”

Nodding, Lena said, “Eliza must think all we do is fight.”

“Hey, compared to Clark and Lex, I think we’re doing okay.”

“True.  I promise not to destroy any major cities if I’m upset with you.”

“In that case, I promise to stay in major cities for my own protection.”

“Wise woman.”

The rest of dinner went without incident.  Lena had made a chocolate mousse for dessert.  Eliza said she was too full to eat any, but if Kara left any she’d have some later.  Eliza insisted on doing dishes since Kara and Lena had cooked.  Kara quickly cleared them, and Lena brought an extra-large chocolate mousse out for Kara.

“Is this as good as it looks?” Kara asked.

Handing Kara a spoon, Lena gestured at the dessert.

“Aren’t you going to have any?”

Lena held up her own spoon.  “I’ll have some of yours.”

“Hey.”  Pulling her dessert a little closer, Kara said, “It’s not community property time yet.  I’m still a free woman.”

“There’s more in the kitchen.  I’m trying to keep your appetite in mind when I cook.  It will take a while to judge it properly.  Maybe Lois can give me some tips.”

Spoon in her mouth, Kara slowly pulled it out.  “Okay, that is...This is really good.  Make this again.  However, the idea of you talking relationship stuff with Lois is really, really weird.”

“How weird?”

“Mega-weird.”

Laughing, Lena took a tiny spoonful of dessert.  “Mmmm.  It is good.  You don’t think Lois could be helpful to us?”

“Oh, I’m sure she could be.  She’s probably the best source on the whole planet for this kind of information, but it’s weird.  Don’t you think it’s weird?”

Lena shrugged.  “I’ve never met her.  I wouldn’t know.  She has quite the reputation.  A strong woman, driven, career-minded, strong moral fiber, runs headfirst into danger.”

“Never mind.  You two will get along fine,” Kara said taking another spoonful of the mousse.  “Hey, can we have cheesecake tomorrow?”

“What kind?”

Kara shrugged.  “What kind can you make?”

“Kara, the culinary arts were a requirement of my upbringing.  I preferred my time in the garage or the lab at Luthor Corp., but we were expected to know how to entertain, and that meant not just know how to throw a dinner party but also how to prepare proper meals.  Just tell me what you’d like.”

Smiling, Kara said, “Cheesecake.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lena replied, “Really?”

Pointing with her spoon, Kara said, “You’re doing that thing.”

“What thing?”

“That thing with your face,” Kara said.

Eyebrow rising slightly higher, Lena asked, “What thing with my face?”

“Ugh!  That’s worse!  You made it worse?”

Tilting her head to the side, eyebrow still raised up, Lena asked, “What am I doing?”

“Your...Lena.  Don’t you know?”

Elbow on the table and leaning on her palm, Lena bit her lower lip.

Kara squeaked out a little noise along with the word “Lip” which could clearly be heard before she slid off her chair onto the floor.

Slowly standing, Lena looked down to where Kara lay rather dramatically on the floor.  “Kara?”

From the floor, Kara said, “...you’re...still...doing...it.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“...killing...me.”

“Okay, the dishes are done and…” Eliza looked from Kara lying on the floor to Lena.

“I swear I didn’t poison her.  I’m not that Luthor.”

From the floor, Kara moaned and said, “...boundaries.”

Shaking her head, Eliza said, “Kara, stop being melodramatic about whatever it is you’re acting up about now and get off the floor...or I’ll eat your dessert.”

 

<><> 

 

At bedtime, Lena came back from the bathroom wearing a t-shirt and shorts.  As she walked in, Kara did a double take.

“No silk pajamas tonight?”

“It’s getting warmer, so not tonight.  It’s pretty warm upstairs in the house.  Eliza lent me an old t-shirt of Jeremiah’s.”

Kara smiled at the t-shirt that read, ‘Certainly Not Everyone Was Kung-Fu Fighting’.  She stamped down her smile and said, “I don’t understand the t-shirt.”

“You know that song, right?”

Kara shook her head.

“It was by...Actually, I have no idea who sung it.  You must know it, Kara.”

Kara shrugged.  “I’m an alien.  I missed a lot of Earth stuff.  Sing it for me?”

“No.”

“Oh, come on, Lena.”

“I don’t sing.”

“It’s just us, and we’re engaged.”

“No, we’re not.

Kara gasped.  “But I proposed in front of Eliza, and you said yes.  I have a witness.”

Grabbing her pillow, Lena tossed it at Kara.  “You’re a jerk.”

Laughing, Kara caught the pillow and tossed it back to Lena.  “That is no way to speak to your fiancée.  Hey, did the song go something like this?”  Kara sang the opening of the song, “Everybody was kung-fu fighting. Those kicks were fast as lightning.  In fact it was a little bit frightening.  But they fought with expert timing.”

Gasping, Lena held onto the pillow and swung it at Kara repeatedly.  “You are a horrible, horrible person.  I cannot sing.  I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.  I have so little musical talent I can barely play the radio.  I cannot believe you tried to get me to sing for you.  You deserve to be beaten for that.”

Laughing, Kara backed in circles around the room while Lena pelted her with the pillow.  “Hey, you watch it, Luthor, or I’ll use my alien Kung-Fu on you.”

“Doubtful,” Lena said, smacking Kara one more time.

“Oh, yeah?”  Kara jumped into a fighting position, one hand in front of herself, and the other held behind her and above her head.  “You asked for it, Luthor.  I am a trained member of the DEO and a superhero.  You have no idea what you’re up against.  Waaaa!  I-yyya!  Hiyyya!”  Kara jumped around throwing punches and kicks in the air while Lena giggled and exclaimed.  Finally, Kara did a spin kick and brought her leg down behind her with a loud crack making both her and Lena freeze.  “Did I just…?”

“Oh, my God, Kara.  That was my bed.”

Turning slowly, Kara took in the sight of her leg planted through the side of Alex’s bed where she’d snapped the frame in half.  “Oh, fudge nuggets.”

 

<><> 

 

It was the sound of raised voices that roused Eliza from her bed.  Rubbing her eyes, she wandered from her room and down the hallway.  “I swear to God, girls, enough already.  You two are worse than Kara and Alex were the first year Kara moved in.  Whatever this is about, you two need to listen to each other instead of…”  Realizing the voices were coming from downstairs, Eliza continued down the hallway.

“Kara, don’t be ridiculous.  I’m two inches shorter than you.  You can’t stretch out on that.  I should sleep on the couch.”

“No, Lena.  You’re a guest here.  Anyway, I broke the bed.  I should sleep on the couch.  That’s fair.”

Lena sighed.  “It’s not about fair, Kara.  Life isn’t fair.  Be realistic.  I’m shorter than you are.  I’ll sleep on the couch.”  Lena reached out, trying to grab the pillow from Kara’s arms.

Kara clutched the pillow all the more tightly to her torso.  “Life should be fair.  If we can make it fair, then we do.  I broke the bed, so I sleep on the couch.  Go to bed.”

“You go to bed.”

“No, you go to bed.”

“No, you go to bed.”

With a head shake and a pout, Kara replied, “No, you go to bed.”

“Don’t you pout at me, Kara Zor-El.  You march yourself upstairs, and you get into that bed this minute.”

“It’s not going to happen.”

“Girls?”

At the voice from the stairs, Kara and Lena both stopped speaking and turned, seeing Eliza on the steps and slowly making her way to the bottom of the landing and into the living room.

“What’s going on?  What are you both doing down here?”  She looked at the blanket on the couch, then to Kara and the pillow clutched in her arms.  “Oh.”

Brows furrowing, Kara said, “What?”

“Sit down, both of you,” Eliza instructed.  When the girls had complied and had taken seats on the couch, and Eliza was seated in a chair, she said, “Girls, you don’t go to bed mad.  This isn’t how you handle things.  You need to talk this out.”

Lena spoke up.  “Oh, we’re not—”

“I could hear you two arguing from upstairs.  What’s the fight about?”

“There’s no fight,” Lena said quickly.

Kara nodded.  “Yeah, Eliza, there’s no fight.  We had an incident.”

“An incident.”  Eliza pursed her lips.

Kara and Lena nodded in unison.

“Well, I don’t know what an incident is, but you need to talk through your incident and then go to bed.  You don’t go to bed with an incident between you.  That can ruin a relationship, understood?”

Smiling, Kara said, “No, really, it’s nothing like that.  I broke Lena’s bed.”

Narrowing her eyes, Eliza asked, “You broke Lena’s bed?”

“Yeah.  It was an accident.”

“Well, I should hope so.  What happened?”

Lena opened her mouth to reply, but Kara spoke quickly saying, “We were fooling around.”

Eyebrows high, Eliza said, “Oh.”

“Kara.”  Hand on Kara’s elbow, Lena frowned and shook her head.

“No, it’s fine,” Kara said smiling over at Lena before looking back at her foster mother.  “We were just having fun, and I got a bit too excited.”

“Kara, you need to stop,” Lena said, squeezing Kara’s forearm.  “What actually happened, Mrs. Danvers—”

“You need to call her Eliza,” Kara interrupted.

“I don’t think that’s the pressing issue right now,” Lena said, her voice just a bit high pitched.

“It matters to her.  It matters to you, right Eliza?”

Eliza smiled a bit stiffly in response.

“Anyway,” Kara continued.  “I guess we got a bit too wild.  I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing, and I kicked out with my leg.  It’s not all my fault because Lena was really letting me have it, really giving it to me, you know?  She said—”

“Oh my God, Kara!”

“Yeah, that’s what you said.”  Kara smiled brightly.  “Lena said—”

“Stop, please stop.  I’ll give you a million dollars if you just stop now,” Lena begged.

“I don’t have a million dollars, but I second that,” Eliza said.

“I don’t want your money, Lena.  I just wanted to explain.”

“I…”  Eliza cleared her throat.  “I think I have a pretty clear picture of what happened.  Alex wasn’t born through a birthing matrix after all.”

Burying her face in her hands, Lena mumbled, “Where’s a Serbian assassin when you need one?”

Kara looked back and forth between the two women.  “What’s going on?  What don’t I get?”

“Anything, apparently,” Lena hissed as she pulled her face free from her hands.

With a small chuckle, Eliza stood and walked over, placing a hand on Kara’s shoulder.  “Doesn’t sound true.  Anyway...no one should have to sleep on the couch.  You girls don’t have to try and keep appearances up for my sake.  You can stay in the same bed.”

Kara and Lena turned with shared looks of shock on their faces as their gazes locked.  Several seconds ticked off in silence.

Finally, Lena looked up at Eliza and said, “We wouldn’t fit.”

“Oh, I suppose you’re right.  The beds were even getting a little small for the girls before they went off to college.”

Both Kara and Lena visibly relaxed.

Taking Kara’s hand, Lena said, “Exactly.  So, you see, Kara and I are fine.  We’re not fighting.  We’re just having a little discussion about which one of us should sleep on the couch which is ridiculous.  I’m shorter, so I should.”

“You’re a guest, and I broke the bed, so I should,” Kara countered.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“I...ugh.  I’m being right.  Ridiculous is what you call me when I’m right.”

“Well, then you must be consistently right.”

“Hey!”

“Girls, girls.”  Eliza shook her head, her face and tone both showing obvious disapproval.  “I’ll settle this.  Neither of you is sleeping on the couch.  I’ll sleep in Kara’s bed.  You can have my bed.”

Lena snapped to her feet.  “What?”

“Eliza, no,” Kara said standing much more slowly.  “We...uh...we couldn’t.  I mean...we couldn’t, right?”  Kara looked over at Lena for support.

“We can’t,” Lena agreed.

“Well, now you’re both being ridiculous, and I’m the one who’s right.  My bed is big enough for the both of you.  I’ll be fine in Kara’s bed.”

“I...Lena steals the covers,” Kara said suddenly.

“I do not...like to admit it, but I do.” Lena looked at Kara out of the side of her eye.  “Perhaps I get cold in my sleep.”

“Yeah, and your feet are like icicles,” Kara added.

“Well, that’s true.”  Lena shrugged.  “Sometimes I wear socks to bed.”

“Well, Kara’s like a furnace.  Doesn’t she keep you warm?” Eliza asked.

“You know what else Lena does?  She—”

“Kara talks in her sleep,” Lena interjected.

“No, I don’t.  Do I?”

“You most certainly do.”

Leaning closer, Kara asked. “What do I say?”

“I’ve no idea.  It’s not in English or any other language I speak.  It has a definite cadence to it though, a pattern, and some of the sounds you’ve repeated more than once.  I’m certain they’re words.  Maybe it’s you’re native language from…” Lena pointed up.

“Oh...well, I could teach you and...if you wanted.”

“You’d do that?”

“If you wanted,” Kara repeated.

Eyes wide, Lena nodded slowly.

“Okay you two, it’s late.  Why don’t you continue this discussion about Kryptonian linguistics in the morning after we all get a good night’s rest?  Now come on.  Up to bed with you both.”  Eliza pointed toward the stairs as she held out her other arm toward the two younger women.

“Eliza, I really think—”

“Kara, I’m too tired to argue with you.  Just do as I say and get off to bed.”  When Lena opened her mouth, Eliza spoke quickly.  “You too, young lady.  I’m not your mother, but I’m playing the mother card.  Now, off to bed.  Go.”

As she walked past Eliza, Lena mumbled, “I know you’re not my mother.  If you were, you’d be trying to kill one of us instead of putting us to bed.”

Kara paused on her way past Eliza and said, “Um...Lillian would probably kill me not Lena.”

“I don’t think that makes it any better, Kara,” Eliza replied.

Nodding, Kara handed over the pillow to Eliza and slowly headed upstairs.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder just inside the doorway to Eliza’s bedroom, Kara and Lena eyed the bed.  It was queen sized with a lovely little pink and yellow floral bedspread that matched the curtains.  The pillowcases and sheets were pink, and the bed was pulled back, unmade from Eliza’s exit to see the girls’ goings-on downstairs.  Lena rubbed her fingers against her thumbs while Kara’s fists tensed and relaxed.

“Well, here we are,” Lena said, breaking the silence between them.

“Yup.”  Placing her hands on her hips, Kara rolled back and forth across the balls of her feet.  “Here we are, just the two of us.  That’s a bed,” Kara added as she gestured with one hand.

Looking over at Kara, Lena deflated as a good bit of tension left her body, and she laughed slightly.

“What?” Kara asked.

Patting Kara’s shoulder, Lena made her way to the bed and crawled under the covers, shimmying to the side against the wall.  “Let’s not make this weird, all right?  There’s plenty of room here for the both of us.  We won’t even be touching each other.  Are you okay with the outside?”

“Um...sure?”  Kara's voice cracked a little bit, and she cleared her throat, repeating, “Sure.  You’re sure you’re okay with this?”

“You’re hardly the first woman I’ve been in bed with, Kara.  Sleeping, now that’s a novel concept.”

Most of the way into bed, Kara paused and looked at Lena.  “That didn’t help.”

“Sorry.  I’ll just be over here.  You be over there, and we won’t touch each other, okay?”

“Okay.”  Kara lay quietly in bed for several minutes before she said, “Are you asleep?”

“Not even close.”

“Are you thinking about—?”

“Yup!”

With a loud sigh, Kara said, “We’re screwed.”

Sighing in response, Lena said, “I wish.”


	18. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Slowly, Lena woke up.  She felt warm and comfortable, vaguely aware of the chirping of birds outside her window.  There was something firm yet soft pressed against her torso, under her right arm and leg.  A familiar scent like morning flowers, the air after an April shower, perhaps sunshine streaming through a field filled her senses upon each inhalation.  A steady ‘Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump’ followed by a calming ‘Woosh’ threatened to lull her back to sleep.  Snuggling into the cozy presence that drew her in, she hummed slightly, “Mmmmm,” and pulled that warmth a bit closer as she prepared to surrender to sleep yet again.

“Are you awake?”

Body jerking wide awake, Lena’s mind kicked into overdrive as the events from last night caught up and her eyes flashed open, green eyes wide and seeing startling blue eyes staring back at her from where she lay curled up on Kara’s shoulder.  

“Kara.”

“You are awake.”  Kara smiled.  “I didn’t want to wake you, so I just…” Her smile grew a bit.

Shyly, Lena smiled back, unable to move away with Kara’s arm curled around her back.  “Oh, well, that’s very considerate of you, but you could have gotten up.  You didn’t have to stay in bed because of me.”

“Oh, I didn’t mind.  I’m used to sleeping alone, so this was kind of...nice?”  She looked down for a moment then met Lena’s gaze again, but her smile never faltered.  “So, how did you sleep?”

With a laugh, Lena replied, “Far better than if I’d been on the couch, I’m certain.  I’ll have to thank Eliza.”

“We both will,” Kara said with a nod.  “I do just barely fit on that thing, and I can’t stretch or put my arm above my head or anything.  I know I’m a bit of an active sleeper so…Oh!  I didn’t hit you in the middle of the night or anything, did I?”

“Well, if you did I slept right through it.”

“Good, ’cause Alex says I can be a bed hog.”

“Alex doesn’t appreciate you like I do.  You’re welcome to hog my bed any day, Miss Danvers.”

A silence stretched between them then.  So much had changed in the last twenty-four hours.  So much more had changed in the last two weeks.  Walls had been torn down, built up, and then brick-by-brick disassembled.  Now, far more open and less raw, ready and less vulnerable, they were moving together instead of at or away from each other.  This shift in dynamics had finally grown comfortable.

“You look beautiful in the morning,” Lena said breaking the silence as she used a single finger to adjust a few strands of Kara’s hair to frame the blonde’s face.

“You look beautiful all the time.” Before Lena could disagree, Kara grabbed the other woman’s hand, holding it against her own face.  “You do.  I noticed it the first day we met.  I was a bit stunned.  You weren’t just beautiful, you were so put together, and you blew into that room.  Clark and I were there, Superman and Supergirl, yet you had all this power about you.  It was a bit intoxicating, and I’d never been drunk before then.”

As Kara took her hand and applied one feather-soft kiss to the palm, Lena exhaled shakily.  “So, those boundaries we’d discussed.”

“Yeah?”  Kara said, applying another kiss, her gaze never leaving Lena’s.

“I’m assuming they didn’t take into account us waking up in bed together.”

“Ah…” With a small laugh, Kara laid Lena’s hand across her face again.  Eyes closed, she rubbed her cheek across the palm.  “That’s a fair assumption.”

“You holding up any better than I am right now?”

Eyes popping open again, Kara said, “Well, I’m glad you’re not J’onn.”

As her brows furrowed, Lena laid in stunned silence for several seconds.  “...what?”

Kara chuckled.  “Oh, Rao.  That came out wrong.  J’onn’s a telepath.  I just meant I’m glad you can’t read my mind.  See that would have translated much better in my language.  English is confusing.”

“Oh,” Lena said laughing slightly and relaxing.  Biting her lower lip, Lena looked away before returning her gaze to meet Kara’s.  “Would you prefer I move away?  Is it safe for me to stay, or do I remind you too much of John?”

Sighing and rolling her eyes, Kara gently squeezed Lena a bit closer to herself.  “I’ll try and control myself...J’onn.”

As she snuggled up, this time knowingly, onto Kara’s shoulder and curled into the other woman’s body, Lena said, “Now I feel like a couple.  You already have a pet name for me.”

Kara laughed.  “I can’t wait to tell Alex about this moment.  It will go something like this.  ‘Alex, Lena and I were in bed.  I was kissing her.’”  Pulling Lena’s hand to her mouth, Kara demonstrated.  “‘Then I started to call her by my pet name for her...J’onn.’”

With a cruel chuckle, Lena said, “Oh, you must hate your sister.”

“You have no idea what I’ve had to suffer through since she started dated Maggie.  It’s calmed down now, but the TMI was nearly unbearable at times, and I bore it bravely.”

“Heroically.”

“Definitely,” Kara agreed.  “When I have some gross stuff about us to share with her, I’m sharing.”

“Well, I hope it’s not gross.”

“Sister gross.”

“Okay, that’s fair.  I only have a brother, and he was nine years older than I.  We didn’t exactly talk relationships much.  Still, if he knew who you were, I don’t think we’d have to get beyond the fact that we’re dating for it to be considered ‘gross stuff’ by Lex.”

“Good thing he’s already in jail,” Kara said sobering a bit.  “Your mom isn’t going to take this well, is she?”

“As if I care.  Obviously, I don’t make my life’s decisions based on what makes her happy, Kara.  If I did that, genocide would be on the table.”

“True.  Still, how unhappy do you think she’ll be on a scale of passive-aggressive comments over the dinner table to genocide?”

“Are you asking me if my family will try to kill either of us more than they are right now?”

“Oh.”  Cuddling Lena in tighter, Kara said, “That’s valid.  They do want me dead already.  I don’t think your mother is actively trying to kill you right now.  That might change.”

“It might.  It might not.  Are you going to refuse to date me because my insane mother might want you dead...er because of it?” Lena asked as she looked up at Kara.

Meeting Lena’s gaze, Kara simply replied, “No.”

“Good.  Me neither.  I guess we’re stuck with each other then.  So, what do you want to do about it?”

Smiling again, Kara said, “Well, I know what I was thinking about doing this morning.”

One brow rising as her lips slowly curled into a smile, Lena said, “Oh, do tell.”

“Heh, heh.  Not that.  I mean, yeah.  I was but...boundaries.”

“Boundaries are boring.  Also, I’m not good at them.”

“Lena,” Kara said, exasperated.  “This doesn’t work if we’re both not good at boundaries.”

“Really.”  Lena’s voice was sultry as she pulled her hand down from Kara’s face and ran it along the other woman’s abdomen, feeling abs tense even through Kara’s pajama top.  “So, I shouldn’t try and seduce you?”

“It wouldn’t exactly be that hard.”

“Oh.”  Pushing away from Kara, Lena said, “Well, what’s the fun of that?  So, if you don’t want to do **that** this morning, Miss Danvers, what’s the plan?”

“Again, it’s not about want; it’s about boundaries.  You get that right?  I want.”

“Appreciated.  So?”

“So, what do you think of swimming?”

“In water?”

Pushing up onto an elbow, Kara asked, “What are the other options?  Wait, are you going to make this dirty?”

“I could,” Lena said with a smirk, “But I only meant we don’t have an indoor pool here.  Is there one about which I don’t know?  I didn’t bring a suit though that could be fun.”

“We’re going to say the word boundaries so much it loses its meaning.  I was talking about going swimming in the ocean.”

“You’re insane.”

“What?  The weather report for today said there was supposed to be a high of like fifty-four.”

“In—sane.”

Kara chuckled.  “You could come down to the beach with me.  Bring a book and read while I swim.”

“First of all, no.  I did not develop this fine sense of pale at the beach.  Secondly, a high of fifty-four does not happen first thing in the morning.  It’s probably in the forties right now.  Thirdly…”  Arching an eyebrow, Lena paused likely for dramatic effect.  “...no.”

Chuckling again, Kara pulled Lena closer to her, smiling brightly when it caused a little yelp to erupt from the other woman.  “Someone’s bossy this morning.”

“I am your boss.”

“You are.”  Kara leaned over Lena, pressing her torso down onto the other woman’s “And yet, I don’t feel like you’re in charge right now.”

“...boundaries.”

After several moments of smiling, Kara kissed Lena’s nose and said, “Yes, dear.” Vaulting off of Lena and the bed and onto the floor, Kara stretched.  “Well, I’m going to change into my suit and head down to the beach.  You can stay here and be boring this morning if you want.”

“That’s exactly what I want,” Lena said as she sighed with a bit of relief.  “Boring is my best thing.”

“That’s not true.  No working, okay?”

“Unless Jimmy, Eve, Sam, or Jess call with an emergency, I won’t.  I promise.  Have fun being insane at the beach.”

“I will,” Kara said zipping out of the room.  She was only gone for a few seconds before she reappeared wearing a swimsuit and dropped her pajamas in the hamper.  “Last chance to change your mind.”

Lena’s eyes widened as her gaze ran over Kara in the swimsuit.  Kara was tan in a naturally golden sort of way.  Her muscles were long and stood out beautifully, strong forearms giving rise to developed upper arms and those to sculpted shoulders.  Her neck was long, and even the way her clavicle stood out from her body was lovely.  Lena’s vision barely took in the suit, red and blue of course, the top more like a sports bra.  The bottom was a classic bikini cut that sat on the hips, and the combination gave Lena flashbacks to the women’s Olympic volleyball team in the best possible ways.  It was when Lena got to Kara’s abs...abs...abs...abs... She shook her head, closing her eyes briefly to reset her short-circuiting brain that seemed to be stuck in a hormone-induced loop.

“Lena!”  

Making eye contact, Lena found Kara smiling gently at her.

“Are you all right?  I said your name like four times.”

Eyes wide and nostrils flaring, Lena yelled, “Boundaries!”  Then she tossed the blanket over her head and burrowed back under the covers.

After a few unsuccessful attempts to get Lena to talk to her, all that were met with grunts, slaps from under the covers, and repetition of just one word, Kara confusedly left.  Downstairs, she found Eliza sitting at her computer.  “Hey, I’m heading out to the beach.  Lena’s...Uh, she didn’t want to join me.”

“Because it’s too cold for humans, Kara,” Eliza said without looking up.  “How did you sleep?”

“Awesome.  Thanks for changing beds with us.”  Kara hugged Eliza from behind, looking at the pictures from last night on the computer.  “Hey, those look great.  You know, those are our first official couple pictures.”

“I’m glad I could be part of it.  I’m going to send some of these to your sister, okay?”

“Sure, just no posting pictures to social media of my flying without my suit, okay?”

“I’m glad you warned me.  I was just about to do that,” Eliza said with a laugh.

Kara laughed too.  “Then I’m just in time.  I’m going to grab a snack.  Can we do breakfast when I get back?”

“Sure.  What about Lena?”

Pointing up, Kara said, “She’s showering.  You two can figure it out when she comes down.  Hey, Eliza, you really like her, right?”

Turning, a touch of concern on her face, Eliza smiled slightly, “Sweetheart, of course, I do.  Lena is lovely.”

“Okay, thanks.  I just wanted to make sure because, well, I really like her.”

Rising, a hand on each of Kara’s shoulders, Eliza said, “I would hope so.  You don’t usually marry people you don’t like.”

“On Krypton, the matrix picked our mate for us.”

“You’re not on Krypton.  On Earth, you pick your own mate.  You get that, right, Kara?  You pick Lena?”

Her smile growing, Kara sighed a little as she said, “I do, Eliza, I really do.  There’s just something special about her.  I was really lucky that Clark placed me with you guys.  He gave me a family after I lost my whole world.  You were all amazing, and I don’t want you to think you weren’t enough, but I feel like I’ve always been looking for something, someone.  I found that someone the day I met her.  I felt something the day I met her.  Is that normal?”

Rising and hugging Kara closely, Eliza said, “Oh, sweetie.  I remember the day I met Jeremiah.  I thought he was an arrogant ass.”

“Eliza!” Kara said with a laugh as she stepped away.

“Sorry.”  Eliza laughed too.  “Luckily he felt differently about me, and by the third...hmmm...maybe fourth time we met, I was warming up to him.  Jeremiah though, Jeremiah met me and went home and told his mother he had just met the girl he was going to marry.  I hadn’t even told him my name yet.”  Shrugging, Eliza said, “Sometimes when you know you know.  I guess you knew.”

Considering it, Kara nodded.  “I didn’t know that I knew, but I knew.  She’s the one, Eliza.”

“I’m glad for you, sweetheart.”

“Me too.”  Hugging Eliza once more, Kara turned and said, “Well, I’m going to be a crazy alien playing in the ocean.”

“Have fun.”

“I always do!”

Sitting back at the computer, Eliza looked at a picture of Kara and Lena, her daughter’s arms wrapped around the other girl as Kara held Lena from behind.  They gazed into each other’s eyes with a shared look of pure adoration, no barriers between them.  They came from different worlds, different galaxies.  They came from opposing families.  In their own ways, both of their families had brought destruction to so many others and themselves, leaving for their children a tragic legacy.  This image captured here told a different tale.  This moment in time was a story of unification and of hope.

With a smile curling her lips, Eliza said, “When you know, you know.”

 

<><> 

 

Wandering back from the bathroom, Lena heard a few pings from her phone but ignored them.  It was notifications from Twitter, some from Instagram.  It was exactly the type of thing she and Kara had agreed to avoid as they worked on their relationship.  She went to the other room and grabbed an outfit for the day, laying out some undergarments, dressing carefully in things that though Kara wouldn’t be seeing...yet, Lena would know she was wearing and that would increase her confidence.  As she hooked her bra, the notifications from her phone had erupted into a veritable storm.  Curiosity getting the better of her and a touch of concern breaking in, Lena sat on the side of the bed and unlocked the phone.

Horrified, her jaw fell open as she scrolled through comment after comment, finally coming upon the picture that had started it all.  There they were, she and Kara, the blonde holding her from behind as they looked adoringly into each other’s eyes.  Their backdrop was a Christmas tree, twinkling and shining in all its holiday glory.  They looked like a fucking Christmas card.  Below it was a comment that Eliza had posted, “My daughter and her fiancée home for the holidays.  The perfect Christmas in Midvale.”  Her heart rate and breathing ticked up as Lena imagined the crosshairs over the photo.

“Fuck.  Fuck.  Mother fucker.”  As she went to her contacts and dialed Alex, Lena ran out of the room to the room that housed the rest of her clothes.  She popped open a suitcase and began to toss things haphazardly inside.

 _“Hello?_ ” A sleepy voice said.

“Alex!” Lena hissed out.  “We have an emergency.  Kara and I are going to have to leave, but you’ll have to get people to move your mother out of here first.  She’s in danger.”

_“Lena?”_

“Yes, Lena!  Who the fuck else calls you in the morning because someone is trying to kill them!?”

There was a brief pause.   _“Actually, you’d be surprised.  My life is pretty fucking screwed up.”_

“Well, welcome to the fucking club!”  Running a hand through her hair, Lena took a deep breath.  “Look, we screwed up.  We should have just told your mother the truth that we were hiding out from an assassin instead of going along with this fake engagement thing.  She’s been so lovely though, and she got Kara and me to really talk, and now we’re dating.  She took this picture of us though, posted it to social media and—”

_“Whoa!  Wait, wait, back the bus the fuck up.  Did you say you and Kara are dating?”_

“That’s not the relevant part, Alex.  Your mother posted a picture of us to social media saying we’re in Midvale.  She might as well have emailed the address to Janković.  He’ll be coming here, and we’re in danger.”

_“Where’s this picture?”_

“Where isn’t it!?”  Grabbing another suitcase, Lena opened it in preparation for more packing.  “Look, just call your squad in and get some Men In Black up here ASAP.  Kara is out swimming right now, and I’m packing.  I expect we have a few hours until Janković can get here, but I want to be ready to clear out immediately.  Should I tell Eliza to pack, or will you be putting the protection detail on her here?”  Lena listened, hearing Alex moving around and breathing but no response.  “Alex?”

_“Hold on; I’m looking for the...Oh, my God!  You guys look adorable!”_

“Are you fucking kidding me?  Are you on social media looking at that picture?”

 _“Hey, is that my hobo Santa ornament?”_  Alex laughed.   _“I can’t believe Mom still puts that up each year.  You know, when I was—”_

“Alex, I swear to fucking God, if you don’t pull your head out of your ass and get a protection detail up here immediately, I am going to make some phone calls and put a hit on you myself!  Not the combined powers of the U.S. government and Supergirl will be able to save you!  If I’m going out, by God, I am taking you with me!”

_“Lena, relax, just relax.  It’s going to be okay.”_

“How in the fuck is it going to be okay!?”  Dropping onto the still functional bed, Lena took a deep breath.  “You’ve had me locked up in my apartment for two weeks, and then I had to flee the city.  I was running around in your backyard with an ax and probably scared the life out of your mother just because a car backfired.  I am a neurotic mess, and the safe-house you put me in has put your mother in danger...and by the way, she’s a lovely, lovely woman.  I adore Eliza.”

_“Yeah, she’s the best, right?”_

“She really, really is.  You’re very lucky.  However!...You need to get me the fuck out of here and get protection for your mother because if anything happens to her, I swear to God, Alex Danvers, I swear to fucking God—!”

_“We got him!”_

For several seconds Lena sat just listening to the sound of her blood pounding through her body.

_“Lena, did you hear me?”_

“You got who?”

_“Janković, we got him.  You’re safe.  We got him.”_

“You...You got Janković?”

_“Yes, we got him.  You can relax.  We got him.”_

“When?  Why didn’t you call us?”

_“Uh...actually, we were just processing him.  J’onn is interrogating him to make sure he doesn’t have an accomplice, but he’s always worked alone in the past.  We have no reason to believe he isn’t working alone this time, but protocol requires that we confirm it before removing the red alert status on you.  As soon as I got the all clear from J’onn I was going to call you, but yeah, we got him, and you’re safe.  You can relax.”_

“I...You got him?”

 _“Lena, no one’s trying to kill you.”_  Alex chuckled.   _“Well, I suppose I can’t say that given the way your average day tends to go.  Maybe fewer public appearances, and stay out of anything that flies.  If I were you, I wouldn’t even book a flight for the safety of the other passengers.  Maybe you should stick to Air Supergirl seeing as how you’re dating her.”_

“Oh, my God.  Alex, thank you.  Do we know who hired him yet?”

_“Uh, not yet, but we’ll find out.  Just give us time.  I don’t think he knows.  You know how hit men and anonymity are.”_

“Not really, but I’ll take your word for it.  I talk a better game than I play when it comes to being that kind of Luthor.  So, I can go home?”

_“Well, yeah you...um, there’s just one thing.”_

“Don’t tell me someone else is trying to kill me.”  With a sigh, Lena added, “I have a one assassin a month maximum.  Whoever it is, tell them my dance card is full.”

With another laugh, Alex said, _“Your sense of humor is awesome.  You’ll need it given who you’re dating.  That’s actually the issue.  We’re working around the clock on the Reign situation, but we don’t have an answer yet.  Do you think you can keep Kara out of the city for a little bit longer?”_

“You want me to ask her to stay in Midvale?”

_“I want you not to tell her that we got Janković.  Has she seen that picture on social media yet?”_

“No.  As I told you, she’s off swimming.  We’d actually agreed to stay away from our phones and focus on our relationship so we...did you just sigh?  What was that?”

_“Nothing.  I’m just so darn happy for you two kids.  Are you happy?  Is Kara happy?”_

“Well, I’m happy no one is trying to kill me.”

_“Yeah, yeah, but what about dating Kara.  How’s that going?”_

“Um...well I think?  We’re taking it slowly, painfully slowly, too damn slowly, but it’s good.  That’s fine.  I’m on board.  I respect Kara’s choice, and I respect her.  She’s being incredibly sweet.  Sleeping in the same bed with her is—”

_“You’re sleeping together?”_

“In the same bed, Alex, not together.  We...well, we broke your bed.  We’ll fix it.  I promise.  Your mother let us use her bed because we were just kidding around in the other room, and we got a little bit rough.  Kara—”

 _“Rough huh?”_  The smirk came through in Alex’s voice.

“You know what?  Think whatever you want.  I’ll explain it to you in person later.  Whatever you do, don’t ask Kara about it.  Her explanation would sound so much worse than anything I could purposefully try and make up to embarrass you, and I have a relatively filthy mind.  Now, back to the Kara situation.  You want me to keep her in Midvale?”

_“Yes.  Just don’t tell her about Janković, okay?”_

“I...I don’t know about that.  I don’t want to lie to her.  That doesn’t feel right.”

_“How did it feel watching her lie in that bed after Reign nearly killed her?”_

Recoiling in on herself, Lena admitted, “Like death.”

_“It nearly was.  We need more time.  We need your help.  Will you help us?”_

With a heavy sigh, Lena said, “I’ll do anything for Kara.”

_“Thank you.”_

“It’s not going to work though.  That picture is out there, and paparazzi will show up.  Kara will know it isn’t safe for us here.  We’ll have to move anyway.  She’ll start asking questions and—”

_“Leave that to me.  I’ll call my tech people and pull the picture down anywhere it went up.  You talk to my mom, tell her you guys want privacy, and ask her not to post any more pictures until after you and Kara are ready to leave.  Can you do that?”_

“I can, but people will still show up.  People have seen it.  It’s out there and like it or not, and I don’t like it, my being engaged is news.  My being engaged to a reporter who works for me in a business I just bought, well, that’s bigger news.  That picture disappearing is like a confirmation that I’m hiding from the press.  We’ll be overrun.”

_“I have an idea for that too.  I can handle that.”_

“You can handle the press?”

_“Trust me.”_

“If it works, I may hire you.”

With a laugh, Alex said, _“I’ll keep the job offer in mind.  Hey, you take care of my little sister.  I’m really happy for you two.  I mean that.”_

Smiling, Lena said, “Thank you.  I have to admit; I’m rather surprised by all of the warm welcomes I’m getting from the Danvers family.”

_“Why?  You’re awesome.”_

“I...uh...thank you.”

_“Well, have a good day.  Hey, at some point I want to hear how this whole protective custody gig turned into you and my sister dating and some weird engagement rumor.  You two aren’t really engaged, are you?”_

“No,” Lena said with a small laugh, then added, “Though something strange did happen at dinner last night.  I could really use someone to talk to about it.  Maybe I could call Maggie later?”

_“I’m sure she’d love that.  Give my mom and Kara my love, okay?”_

“I will.”

_“Hey, and my love to you too, kid.”_

“Uh...thank you.”

 _“Bye.”_  Disconnecting, Alex grabbed her laptop and raced back to the bedroom.  She hopped onto the bed excitedly.  “Wake up!  Wake up!”

“What?  What?  I’m awake already,” Maggie said as she rolled over, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  “What do you need me to do, and it better be you.”

“Yeah, in a few minutes.  First, look at this picture.”

Pushing herself to a seated position, Maggie yawned and stretched.  “Does it have boobs in it?”

“Ewww!  No.  It’s my sister and Lena.”

“Right.  Sorry, I withdraw my question.”  Focusing on the screen, she smiled.  “Hot damn, will you look at that.  Print that out and put it on the fridge, babe.”

“It gets better.”

“Than that?”

Nodding, Alex said, “They’re dating.”

“What!?”  Hand in the air, she said, “Give me five!”  When Alex applied the slap, Maggie yelled, “Yeah, Super—”

“Don’t you say it!”

Lower lip pouted out and eyelashes fluttering, Maggie said, “Just once...please?”

“Fine,” Alex replied with a sigh.  “This is not a thing though.  I’m not approving this.”

“Yeah, SuperCorp!” Maggie yelled jubilantly with fists thrusting into the air.

“Well, now that that is out of your system—”

“Not even close.”

“Sawyer…expect a call from Lena later.  She said something weird happened at dinner, and she wants to talk to you about it later.”

“What happened?”

Alex shrugged.  “I’m guessing now that my sister doesn’t have to hide anymore, she ate four whole pizzas and two gallons of ice cream, or maybe she said, ‘Wanna bet I can’t fit eight meatballs in my mouth at once?’.  Whatever she did probably freaked out Miss Perfect Table Manners, and she isn’t sure how to deal with it.  You need to talk Lena off the ledge.”

“No problem.  If I can deal with your disgusting habits, Lena can deal with Kara’s.”

After a few seconds of glaring, Alex swung her legs out of bed and left with the laptop.  “I’m going to forgive you that one because you just woke up, and because I’m in a good mood.”

“I love you, babe!”

“I love you too!”  Placing her laptop back on the desk, Alex picked up her cellphone again, went into her contacts, and made a call.

_“Winning Smiles Incorporated, how can I help you?”_

“Winn, it’s Alex.  I need you to do a nerd thing for me.”

_“Good morning to you too, lovely lady.  How can I be of assistance to you today, madam?”_

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Look, I’m just going to assume you’re online and already know there’s a picture of Kara and Lena looking all lovey-dovey out there?”

_“If I’m breathing, that’s a safe assumption.  So we did it, right?  Mission SuperCorp was a success?”_

“Hey!  You know how I feel about that name.  What have I said!?”

Winn mumbled, _“If you’re not fucking me you don’t get to fuck with me.”_

“Better.  Now, I need you to pull down that picture of Kara and Lena from every social media site you can find.  Any mention of it that’s out there I want gone.  Redact proof of its existence like it’s Area 51.”

_“Okay, but why are we...Wait, is area 51 real?”_

“J’onn’s a Martian, and you’re asking me if Area 51 is real?”

_“That...is both a valid and disturbing response.  You haunt my dreams, Alex.  You haunt my dreams.”_

“It’s in my job description.  Now, go do your nerd work and start redacting.”

_“Wait, why am I doing this?”_

“Because you’re scared of me, and I told you to.  Now, stop wasting my time before I give you a reason.”

_“I repeat my statement from earlier._

“Good.  Call me back if you run into any problems.  I need to make another call.”

_“And intimidate someone else?”_

“No, some people I like.”

_“Awww, that hurts my feelings, Alex.”_

“Grow a set...Luv ya.”

_“What!?”_

Alex hung up immediately before Winn could say anything else and made another call.  “Hey, it’s Alex.  We’ve run into a situation which is both awesome and needs some immediate intervention from your unique skill set.  Are you free to go on a breakfast date today?”

After a brief pause, the person on the other side of the phone said, _“Alex, are you asking me out?”_

“What?  No.  That would be so…”  As an odd look spread across Alex’s face, she said, “Okay, my mind just went to a really kinky and interesting place.  Please don’t tell Maggie.  What am I saying?  It’s Maggie.  She’s already thought of it.  No, I don’t need you to go on a date with me.  I need you to go on a date with my sister.”

_“I...Alex, I don’t think that’s any better.”_

Smiling, Alex replied, “It is.  Just let me explain.”

 

<><> 

 

Back in Midvale, Lena had reassembled the mess she’d made of the other room.  She took an armful of clothing and headed down the hallway to Eliza’s room just in case they didn’t have Alex’s bed fixed today.  Lena had piled clothes on the dresser and was moving toward the ones she’d laid out on the bed when she suddenly turned, aware of another presence.

Exhaling shakily, hand to her chest, she said, “Kara.”

“You ah...your…”  Seeing Lena in just bra and panties, Kara’s gaze traced a path up and down the curves of the woman’s body, visually caressing pale skin.  Suddenly, her gaze was pulled to a tattoo on Lena’s side, just below the ribs.  Shades of green, it had three triangular points, but the center was curved, almost circular, and there were some flourishes like leaves or feathers in the background in a different shade of green.  Her vision traveled down to where, along each of Lena’s hipbones and appearing just below the woman’s bellybutton, were pieces of a tattoo that were otherwise obscured by Lena’s black panties which themselves were such a stark contrast to the woman’s skin.  Kara’s brain skipped like an old, scratched record at the small ring in Lena’s belly, the image playing over and over again on a loop, and she was barely able to pull her gaze away and continue up.  There, low and between the rise of Lena’s breasts where the bra pushed them together, another tattoo peeked out, and Kara almost missed it.  The ink was white and set against skin so very pale.  It took deep concentration to make out the image, something Kara seemed capable of managing for the purposes of science in this moment, of course.  Part of it was obscured, but it looked like a series of planets and stars, spreading out across—

“Ahem.”  A hand on her full hip that was stuck out to the side, Lena smirked as she lifted one eyebrow and pointed to her eyes.  “I think you were the one who just yesterday was so kind to remind me that we keep our eyes up here, Miss Danvers.  Feel free to make eye contact whenever you want to have an actual conversation.”

“Uh-huh,” Kara said, nodding while meeting Lena’s gaze.

Her smile growing, Lena took several steps forward while Kara took two back.

“Leaving so soon, Kara?  Surely you came here for some reason.”

One finger extended, Kara waved it up and down at Lena four times.  “Tattoos.  There they are.”

“Here they are,” Lena agreed, holding her arms out to either side.  Turning ever so slightly, she added, “I have one on the back of my right leg halfway up my thigh if you’d like to—”

“I’mgoodI’mgood.”  Grabbing the towel that hung around her neck, Kara wiped her face and said, “What’s ah...that one?”

“This one?” Lena traced a finger in a winding pattern from one hip, across her lower abdomen, and to her other hip.

“Ho-boy.”  Kara nodded.

“This is one of the most remarkable engineering achievements of humankind.  It’s the Great Wall Of China, the longest man-made structure on Earth.  Built in the 14th century, it stretches for 8,850 kilometers and protected the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from the attacks of nomadic tribes.”  With a little hum, Lena languidly licked her upper lip.  “You’re not a nomadic tribeswoman though, are you, Kara?”

“I...I...I...I...I…”

“That’s what I thought.”

Managing to tear her gaze from the tattoo, Kara’s eyes had only moved slightly before she leaned forward, vision focused with laser-like precision again.  “I, uh, I never knew you had a...thingy.”

“A thingy?”  Waggling her eyebrows, Lena asked, “Is that a Kryptonian term?”

With a nervous laugh, Kara pointed at Lena’s center.  “One of those.”

“Oh, my navel ring?”  Taking a few steps closer, Lena asked, “Do you like it?”

“Uh, it sure is interesting.  How come I never knew you had it before?”

“Because previously you’ve always seen me wearing clothes.  Now you’re seeing me without them.”  As she watched further awareness spread over Kara’s face, Lena asked, “Is that interesting?”

“I…” Kara swallowed hard.  “...thought you’d be dressed.”

“Well, then, Kara, you thought wrong.”  Moving close enough to wrap the ends of the towel hanging around Kara’s neck in her hands, Lena said, “Isn’t it amazing the things you’re learning today?  What shall we teach you next?”

“Lena, this is a bad idea.”

A smile slinked along one corner of Lena’s lip momentarily, rising up and falling elegantly in its curl as she held Kara trapped in her gaze.  “Yes, bad ideas are my best ideas.”

“Lena remember bound—” As the towel slid down to around Kara’s middle and jerked her forward, her body colliding with Lena’s, Kara’s voice pitched higher and came out in a stuttery jerk.  “—aries.”

“Yes, boundaries.  I was thinking we should renegotiate them.”

“Rene...Renegotiate?”

Nodding, Lena said, “Yes, let’s call a truce, make some common borders, perhaps a neutral…”  Lena slid a leg forward, her thigh caressing the interior of Kara’s.  “...strip.”

Head tossed back, Kara moaned slightly as she said, “Oh, Rao.”

Lena walked a small curved path backward, pulling Kara along with her.  As they collided with the dresser, Lena rubbed her nose along Kara’s collarbone.  “God, you smell good, Kara.  You smell like the ocean, fresh air and…”  Lena sighed.  “I didn’t know sunshine had a scent until you held me in your arms.”

Pressing against Lena, hands on the dresser top, Kara said, “Lena, you...we...your safety…”

“I’m safe with you, Kara.  I’m always safe with you.”  Dropping the towel and running her hands up Kara’s sides, Lena felt the blonde shiver under her touch.  “Tell me if you want me to stop.  Tell me what you want to do.”

“I want...I want this so much.”

Smiling, Lena ran her hands up Kara’s back, nuzzling her face under blonde hair.

“Lena?”

“Mmmm.”

“Did you talk to Alex?”

“Mmmm?”

Leaning back, Kara held Lena’s phone in her hand, screen facing Lena with the contacts, Alex’s name there, clearly showing.  “Did you call Alex?  Did you talk to her?”

“I…”  Gaze flicking back and forth between the phone and bright blue eyes, Lena said, “I did.”

“You did?”  Stepping away as she ran her hand through her hair, Kara asked, “And?  What did she say?”

“Well, Alex said...Um, Alex, she said…”  As Kara smiled at her, Lena said, “She sends you her love.”

“I know that, Lena.  What about Janković?  Did they catch him?”

“Well…”  Lena’s voice pitched up just a little bit as the word hung in the air.

“Is that what’s going on?  Is it safe now?  Is it safe for us to go back to National City?”

Eyes slowly closing, Lena turned her back on Kara as she pressed her forearms against the dresser.  “No.  No, it’s not safe for us to go back.  I’m sorry, Kara.  I’m afraid we’re stuck here a while longer.  You won’t be getting rid of me yet.”  Head down, a deep frown etched itself onto Lena’s face.

“Hey.”  Curling over Lena’s back, Kara hugged her from behind.  “I don’t want to get rid of you.  I just want to keep you safe.  I’d do anything to keep you safe.  You get that, right?”

With a humorless laugh and a smile that didn’t touch her eyes, Lena nodded.  “I’d do anything to keep you safe, Kara.  You’re my priority.”

“You don’t have to protect me, silly.  Protection is my job.”  With a squeeze, Kara stepped away.  “Okay, maybe I need a little bit of protection from your tattoos.  You, dressed like this, or should I say undressed like this, is more heroing than I can handle.  I think I’d have a better chance of facing down against Reign again than fighting off Lena Luthor in her...purity.”

Brows furrowing, Lena repeated, “Purity?”

“Purity,” Kara said once again.

When one of Kara’s fingers touched Lena’s lower back, more than warm, hot, Lena jerked.  Her head shot back at first then dropped back down, and she couldn’t control the small moan that escaped her lips as that finger traced a pattern over her tattoo spelling out the word in cursive that had been inscribed in ink all those years ago.  When Kara’s finger left, curling off the Y with a flourish, Lena shivered both from the touch and its absence.

Taking a few cleansing breaths, Lena said, “Well, yes, I was young enough when I got that one that it was true at the time.  Now it’s just a reminder of a different time, of a different me, of a girl that didn’t understand what being a Luthor entailed.”

Placing a hand on Lena’s shoulder, Kara said, “You have a pure heart.”

Grabbing Kara’s hand, Lena looked over her own shoulder.  “You see the best in people no matter what, don’t you?”

“I see the truth in you.”

With two pats to Kara’s hand, Lena stood upright and took a few steps away saying, “You should go shower, and I need to get dressed.  We’re not doing each other any favors right now, and I think more clothing will, don’t you?”

With a sheepish smile, Kara admitted, “I think I’m going to remember what you look like right now with or without clothing.”

Her smile sultry in return, Lena took a step forward, “Darling, I’m always going to remember what you look like at this moment.  My imagination is very...fertile.”

With a nervous laugh, Kara nodded and backed up.  Her feet got tangled up in her towel, and she nearly fell before recovering.  “I’m just going to...ah, shower.”

“You go do that.  Did you have breakfast yet?”

“Not a real one.  I was waiting for you.”

Her smile softening, Lena said, “Would you like pancakes?”

“And bacon and eggs?”

“Of course.  Go wash the ocean off, and I’ll start breakfast.”

“You know, a superhero could get used to this kind of treatment,” Kara said sighing happily.

“Then maybe a superhero should keep me around.”  They both gave that a few moments to sink in, and then Lena waved a hand dismissively at Kara, stepping forward.  “Okay, out you go so I can get dressed.  Shooo now.”

“Yes, ma’am.  Wow, you can be bossy.”

“Only in some things,” Lena mumbled, ignoring Kara’s odd look as she ushered the other woman out of the room and watched her walk down the hallway.  Lena stood there, waiting until the water had started to grab her phone.  When Kara’s singing began, Lena knew she was set.  She closed the door, pushing her back against it, and went into her contacts.  Finding Maggie’s name, she made the call.

_“Hey, Luthor, congrats on you and Little Danvers—”_

“Blah, blah, blah!  Enough chit-chat, Margarite!  I need some advice!”  Lena paced, a hand combing through her hair before she pulled at it nervously.

_“Ummm, my name’s not Margarite.”_

“And I don’t give a crap.  My situation is dire.  Do you hear me?  Dire!”

_“Okay, kid, relax.  What’s wrong?”_

“What’s wrong, Maggie, is that I’m a homosexual having a panic attack!  I’m having a gay panic attack!  Do you hear me?”

_“I can practically hear you without the phone.  Take a breath, take a minute, and tell me why you’re having a panic attack.”_

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, Lena said, “It’s one part panic attack and one part gay, Maggie, and it’s all Kara Zor-El’s fault.”

_“Aaaah.  So you’re having a girl induced attack of the gays.  Yeah, I’ve had a few of those in my time.  So, what set this one off, Luthor?”_

“Have you ever seen Kara in a swimsuit?”

_“Ummmm...You do remember I’m marrying her sister, right?”_

“I also remember you have 20/20 vision, so answer the damn question.”

_“Jesus.  You are having an attack of the gays.  Fine, yes, I’ve seen Kara in a swimsuit.  It’s...a nice view.”_

“Bullshit.  ‘Starry Night’ is a nice view.  ‘Sunday Afternoon on Island of La Grande Jette’ is a nice view.  The ‘Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel’ is a nice view.  Kara in a bikini should hang on the wall of the Louvre.  She, Margarite, is a fucking work of art.”

_“Still not my name.  Did you just call to tell me you’re hot for hero, ’cause I knew that weeks ago, kid.”_

“No,” Lena admitted.  “I called you because I’ve lost my usual calm reserve, and as my gay elder, you’re responsible for assisting me in my moment of need.”

_“Gay elder?  How the fuck old do you…?  Never mind.  Fine.  You need advice?”_

“God yes!”

_“Okay, besides Kara wearing a bikini, and I’m not dismissing the power of that, tell me what’s set you off.  I’m assuming she didn’t wear it to dinner.”_

“Why would she wear a bikini to dinner?  Does she usually?”  Running her hand through her hair again, Lena said, “God, she isn’t going to just stay in that damn thing all day, is she?  I won’t be able to function.  I’m barely functioning now.”

 _“This is still functioning?”_  Maggie laughed.   _“Oh, baby girl, you are so fucking gay.”_

“I know,” Lena moaned as she dropped to sit on the bed.  “At boarding school, they teach you to deport yourself with proper dignity and etiquette, and then they surround you with dozens of hormone-laden female teenagers.  If you can make it through that without screaming ‘Because I’m a giant queer!’ then handling the Board of Directors at L-Corp is a piece of cake.”

With another chuckle, Maggie said, _“I look forward to hearing more about teenage Lena Luthor when you get back to the city.  However, right now I want to know what happened over dinner last night.  Alex said that you were going to call me about it.  Did Kara shove her whole fist in her mouth or something?”_

“She does that?”

_“Uh...Just tell me what happened last night.  Did it involve a bikini?”_

“No, it um...You know that Eliza thinks we’re engaged, right?”

_“Right.  That’s crazy.  You know we didn’t have anything to do with that, right?”_

“We who?”

_“Uh...just tell me what happened last night.”_

“Okay, so Eliza asked us who proposed, and Kara...proposed.”

There were several beats of silence.   _“I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to repeat that.  It sounded like you just said that Kara proposed.”_

“Well, that’s...Look, it was rather confusing.  She didn’t say, ‘It was me, Eliza.  Please pass the potstickers.’  No, she said it was her, and then She.  Fucking.  Proposed.”

_“She who now what?”_

“Well not really, of course, but she popped out with this speech about how every race has a word for forever even though forever doesn’t exist.  She said she never understood why until she met me because I’m the one with whom she wants to spend her forever.  She asked if I’d spend my forever with her.  Maggie, she said, ‘Lena, will you marry me?’  What the fuck is that about?  Is that some sort of alien thing where they practice proposing, and it doesn’t mean anything?”  After a few moments of silence, Lena checked her phone to make sure the line was still connected.  “Maggie?”

_“Oh, sorry.  She actually proposed?  She asked you to marry her?”_

“Well, she fake proposed, but yes she went through the whole proposal.  When Eliza left the room and I gave Kara a piece of my mind, told her she might as well have gotten down on one knee, she asked if she should have gotten down on one knee.  I...Maggie, this keeps getting more and more real, and my gay is reaching levels of critical mass.”

_“Yeah, yeah, I get that.  I have one really important question here though kid.  What did you say?”_

“About what?”

_“When Kara popped the question, when she went through the whole proposal, what did you say?”_

“Well, I...We were in the moment, and Eliza was there, so I...Well, you know.  I had to...uh…”

 _“Lena?”_  There was a certain note of warning in Maggie’s voice.

“Yes.”

_“Was that an answer to my question?”_

Biting her lower lip, Lena nodded.

_“Hello?”_

“I’m...I’m nodding.”

_“You do know we’re not Facetiming, don’t you genius?”_

“Yes.”  With a heavy sigh, Lena said, “I said yes.  She popped the question, and I said yes before my brain had even caught up with me.  I recovered almost immediately, said I had said yes or we wouldn’t be here.  I made it look as if I were just reenacting the scene for Eliza’s sake, but the whole thing felt a little bit too real to me.”

_“Wow.  Okay, so is there any chance you two are actually engaged?  You know you can trust me to keep your privacy private, but I also live with Alex.  She’s not above waterboarding a sister to get information like this.”_

“We’re absolutely not engaged.  I’m 100% certain about that.”

_“Okay, good because—”_

“However…”

Maggie sighed.   _“Right, there’s always a but.  What’s the but?”_

“Soon afterward, we got into a fight about what last name we’d be taking when we were married.  It was a doozy of a fight.  I stomped off, and she came after me.  She ended up saying she’d take Luthor and be both a Luthor and a Super.  Eliza wasn’t even in the room for that part of the discussion.  We had no audience.  What does that mean?”

_“That you’re not the only one whose gay has reached maximum capacity.  You sound confused by all of this.”_

“So confused.”

_“Have you sat down and spoken to Kara about it?  Have you told her that going through all of these engagement steps is blurring lines for you?”_

“Talk like adults?  Now that’s a novel concept.”

With a chuckle, Maggie said, _“I try and mix it up.”_

“We’ve talked some.  We didn’t talk about the engagement or whatever it is.  We did have a sit-down discussion about our relationship.  I told her I wanted something outside of friendship, and that if she were going to keep shying away from that though I’d still be her friend, I wouldn’t be waiting around for anything other than friendship anymore.”

_“Good for you.  It worked out, huh?”_

“It did.  She admitted she was attracted to me, and she said she wanted to date.  We’re dating.”  With a shy smile, Lena repeated, “We’re dating.”

_“How does that feel?”_

“Amazing...and amazingly frustrating.  You could bounce quarters off that girl’s ass, and I just want to sink my teeth—”

_“Whoa!  Whoa!  Little Luthor, I get it, but she’s still my fiancée’s little sister.  I’m here for you, but we’re going to have to have some boundaries.”_

“Argh!  I hate that word.”

_“What, boundaries?”_

“Argh!”

_“O-kay.  I feel like I came late to the party.  Care to explain?”_

With a grumble, Lena said, “I’m falling for the damnedest noblest woman on the planet.  Her moral streak runs as deep and wide as my credit line.”

_“That’s...That’s dead on descriptively accurate.  Hey, you’re a good person too.  You know that, right?”_

“I may be good, Margarite, but I’m hardly virtuous.”

With a sigh, Maggie said, _“That’s not my fucking name.  Why you gotta be calling me that, Luthor?”_

“Because misery loves company, Margarite.  Now, give me some good advice, or I’ll have your name legally changed.”

 _“You can’t do that.  Only I can change my name.”_  Maggie paused, and when she spoke again, the confidence had left her voice.   _“You can’t do that, can you?”_

“I’m rich, Carol.  You’d be amazed what the number of zeros in my bank account can buy.”

_“I have zeros in my bank account too.”_

“I have a number beside zero in front of all of those zeros.”

_“...oh.  Fine.  Before Alex wants to know why mail is coming here addressed to Theodore Terwilliger Sawyer Esquire, let’s just cut to the chase.  What has your panties in a twist?”_

“I’m…,” Lena muttered something inaudible.

_“What was that?”_

With a sigh, she said, “I’m horny.”

_“Oh.  Have sex with Kara.”_

“Brilliant!  Why didn’t I think of that?  That thought had **never** occurred to me!”

_“Jeez!  Horny makes you mean.  Did your brother blow up Metropolis because he wasn’t getting any?”_

“Not a discussion you want to have with my mother.  Take it from personal experience.”  Hand twisting in her hair, Lena said, “Kara has somehow arrived at the notion that if we were to engage in coitus that I would be murdered with an ax.”

_“Whhhaaaat?”_

“I respectfully disagree with her, of course.  Do you have any suggestions?”

_“Well, my first suggestion is that if you ever want to get laid you need to stop talking like an eighty-year-old English teacher.  Who the fuck taught you to talk like that?”_

“My...eighty-year-old...English...teacher,” Lena admitted.

 _“Score one for the detective.”_  Maggie cleared her throat.   _“Okay, so what I think you said, and I’m trying to translate Kara’s thought process through your communication process...God help me...is that someone will kill you if you guys shag?”_

“Accurate.”

_“Because?”_

“She’s watched a lot of horror movies.”

_“Okay, well that makes no—”_

“And because she still thinks Janković is trying to kill me.”

_“Ah.  Well, you could...Have you tried...Oh hell, kid.  You have a nice rack.  Take off your shirt.  That should do it.”_

“You’d think.  I have wonderful breasts.  Dropping a pen on the ground and bending over to pick it up has always been my go-to move in the past.  Breast or butt girls, no matter what they’re into, you can give them a view.  The Girl of Steel has willpower of steel.”

_“Which is she into?”_

“Tattoos.”

_“Tattoos?  You have tattoos?”_

“Several.”

_“I can’t picture that.”_

Lena’s voice took on a sultry hue.  “Pictures I can provide.”

_“Are you flirting with me?”_

“Sorry.”  Lena shrugged.  “That was just a reflex.  Ignore me.  Between the tattoos and the navel ring, Kara was putty in my hands.  Then she saw that I’d spoken to Alex, and I had to tell her it wasn’t safe to return to National City.”

_“You’re protecting her.”_

“I’m lying to her.  I’m filled with guilt and sexual frustration.  I’m the gay Catholic poster child.  What do I do?”

_“Kid, I can’t tell you that.  I want Kara to be safe, but I can’t tell you what’s right when it comes to your relationship.  I know Alex is worried about her sister, but Kara is an adult.  Alex understands that too.  The Danvers sisters, they can talk about this like adults.  If being in the middle of this feels wrong to you, tell Alex.”_

Lena nodded.  “How close are they with Reign?”

_“I don’t know.  That’s a deep inside the DEO issue, strictly hands-on for them.”_

“Maggie, you’re a deep inside the DEO issue, strictly hands-on for you.”

_“Wow, you are living in Hornyville U.S.A., population you.”_

“I know.  I’m dying here, Margarite, dying.  I had Kara pressed up against me, and I could have...”  Squeezing her eyes shut, Lena tapped a fist against her forehead.  “Damn it.  Why do I have to respect her so much?”

_“Yeah, caring for and respecting the woman whose bones you want to jump is a real bitch, huh?”_

“It’s certainly inconvenient.”

_“I’m familiar with the alternative, Luthor.  I know what a healthy relationship feels like now.  I wouldn’t go back, and neither should you.  Kara deserves better.  You both deserve better.  So, until the DEO figures out a way to defeat Reign or you make a different choice about talking to Kara, you want my advice for your current situation?”_

“God, yes!”

_“This sounds like a hands-on situation for you.  You understand me?”_

“Unfortunately,” Lena said with a sigh.  “I’m far too familiar with that solution.  Why does it seem so much worse now?”

_“Because you’re sharing a bed with a hot blonde?”_

“And on that note, I’m going to hang up with you before Kara gets out of the shower.”

_“Don’t want her to catch us talking?”_

“I don’t want her to catch me...anything.  Thank you for your advice, Maggie.  Call me if there are any Reign updates?”

_“I’m Maggie again?”_

“Just call me.”

_“I’ll check with Alex.  You want me to see if random proposals are some kind of Kryptonian thing?”_

“You think you can ask her that?  Would that be weird?”

_“Yes and yes.  I’ll find out.  Hey, we’re pulling for you and Little Danvers to work out.  I expect to see you dancing with that girl at my wedding.  You hear me?”_

Smiling Lena said, “I do.”

_“Yeah, I’ve been practicing saying that a lot too.  Good thinking.”_

“No, I wasn’t—”

 _“Bye.”_  Disconnecting, Maggie made her way into the living room where Alex was sitting on the couch, laptop on lap, working and eating breakfast.  “Hey, I have a few questions for you.”

“Go for it,” Alex replied, taking a bite of her toast while she continued to read the documents on her computer.

“How are things going on the Reign front?”

“Uh…” Alex paused.  “That’s classified.”

“Just tell me.”

“You know my boss is a mindreader, right?”

“Lena is having an existential crisis.”

Putting the laptop on the coffee table, Alex turned so her arm was on the back of the couch and she could see her girlfriend.  “A what crisis?”

“Existential.  It means relating to existence or being.”

“I know what it means.  I have a fucking Doctorate.  Is she freaking out about Reign?”

Shaking her head, Maggie took a seat next to Alex.  “No, she’s freaking out about being a gay mess and lying to Kara.”

“Oh.”  Alex nodded.  “Yeah, I guess that could be an existential crisis.  Okay, so what did you tell her?”

“I told her to talk to you about lying to Kara.  Keeping Kara safe is important, but Kara is an adult, and she gets to make adult decisions.  Lena shouldn’t have to be stuck in the middle of you wanting to keep your little sister safe.”

“Fuck, that’s good advice.  Why do you have to give such good advice?”

Kissing Alex, Maggie said, “I love you too.  So, anything on the Reign front?”

“Well, we think she might be related to Krypton.”

“Like Mon-El was, a nearby planet?”

Shaking her head, Alex said, “No, we had Superman run that symbol she used through their setup in the Fortress of Solitude.”

“And?”

“And there’s mention of Worldkillers, scientific experiments done on Krypton.  Reign could be part Kryptonian so—”

“Hold on.  Hold on.  You just went all plural on me, bitch.”

“I what?”

Holding up two fingers, Maggie touched each one as she said, “Worldkillers.  Experiments.”

“Oh, yeah I guess I did.”

“You guess!?  Well, fuck me, Margarite.”

“What?”

“So, you’re saying there could be more of her?”

With a shrug and a sigh, Alex rubbed at her temples.  “I’m saying we think she is part of an experiment where more than one was created, but it doesn’t mean more than one survived.  We think that’s highly unlikely.”

“Not the way our luck goes.  Okay, so, dealing with the first of probably dozens of Worldkillers that are going to show up and beat us like piñatas until candy comes out, what’s the plan?”

“Mass quantities of kryptonite to weaken her, then powerful enough weapons to destroy her in her weakened state.”

“Destroy as in…?”

“Kill.  She’s killed dozens of people.  We have no way of holding her for trial, and we’re going to lose people if we try.  This is war, Maggie.”

Sighing, Maggie said, “Kara won’t like that.”

“Kara won’t be in town.  Kara believes there is good in everyone, even someone who has tried to kill her twice.  Plus, with the amount of kryptonite we’re planning on unleashing, National City won’t exactly be Supergirl friendly.”

“Fuck.  That’s your best option?”

“Best?”  Alex shrugged.  “That’s our only option unless Lena happens to have her mom on speed dial.  When it comes to making life unpleasant for aliens, that woman has a talent.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think Lena and her mom are exactly the Christmas card exchange types, but if Lena gets one with a return address, I’ll ask her to share it with the DEO.”

“Thanks.”  Alex barked out a laugh.

“So.”  Cuddling against Alex, Maggie asked, “Do Kryptonians have any weird marriage customs that you know about?”

“Uh, they’re different I guess.  Their mates are chosen for them through a matrix, and they don’t get divorced.  They mate for life.”

“Oh, that is different,” Maggie admitted.  “So, proposing isn’t a Kryptonian thing?”

“Nope.  Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

Stilling, Alex leaned away.  “What do you know?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is Lena planning on proposing to Kara?”

“What?  Absolutely not.  Right now Lena is trying to get your sister into bed.  You should have heard her talk about how your sister looked like a snack in her bikini, and how she wanted to bite into her—”

“Ahhhh!”  One hand over her ear while she pressed her other ear to her shoulder, Alex shook her head as best she could.  “What the fuck is wrong with you!?  That’s my sister.”

“I know, and Little Luthor is thirsty for her.  Mission Completed.”  Maggie whispered something else.

Dropping her hands, Alex asked, “What?”

“SuperCorp!”

“Oh, fuck you!”  Jumping up from the couch, Alex stomped out of the room.

“Heh, that really gets to you, huh?”

Stomping back, Alex snapped.  “No, you know what gets to me!?  What gets to me is I’m starting to fucking like it!  Fuck you, Sawyer!”

As Alex left again, Maggie cupped her hands around her mouth.  “SuperCorp!”

 

<><> 

 

“Ahem.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll want to see this.”

“I’m in the middle of…”  Words died as she stared at the screen of the laptop that was placed in front of her.  “No.  This is a hoax.  This is a...no.  She’s pushed the boundaries before, but this is...no.  Someone faked this.  Did we authenticate it?”

“I did it myself.  It’s authentic.”

“No.  We need visual authentication.  I want proof.  One way or another, get me proof damn it!”  Angrily, the laptop was slammed closed.

A hand pressed against the desk, Hank Henshaw smiled.  “I’ll take care of it personally.  I’ll find her and get you the proof you need.  What if it’s true?”

Looking up at the cyborg, Lillian Luthor said, “Then bring my daughter back to me.  She has no idea what has crept into her bed this time.  I thought we’d hit the bottom of the barrel in her teen years when she went through that tattoo phase, and we caught her with that Baccarat woman.”

“Roulette.”

“Hmmmm?”

“Veronica Sinclair, she insisted on being called Roulette.”

“Oh.”  Lillian waved a hand around aimlessly.  “I knew it was some sort of gambling alias.  Now I wish we hadn’t paid her off to get rid of her.  At least she was human.”

“Even the lowest of us is worth ten of them.”  Henshaw nodded.  “I’ll get you the proof you need, Mrs. Luthor, and if she is involved with this...lifeform, what are your plans for Miss Luthor then?”

“My daughter has had free rein for too long.  She has potential, and more importantly, she has the Luthor name.  She has the Luthor bloodline.  If she won’t make something of herself, I’ll do what a mother is supposed to do, and I’ll make something of her.”

“I wouldn’t be so forgiving.  If my child were involved with one of those **things** , I’d crush her.”  Fist crashing down onto the metal table, Henshaw left a divot an inch deep in the surface.

Eyebrows raised, Lillian looked from the table up to him and said, “You’re not a parent, Mr. Henshaw.  When you’re a parent, you feel differently.  Lena may not be my blood, but there is something special inside that girl that matters to me.”

“You mean her DNA?”

For a moment, Lillian stared coolly without responding.  “You’ve got your assignment.  I expect a full report before you engage.  I’ll decide our next move and going in ill-prepared could be dangerous.”

With an ugly snarl, Henshaw said, “I’m not worried about the Kryptonian.  I look forward to another opportunity to face her.”

“I’m not talking about the alien.  She’s a brute, but if they get a whiff of you sniffing around them, Lena’s the real threat.”  Her smile more a bearing of teeth, Lillian explained, “You see, Mr. Henshaw, in the battle of mind over matter, it’s the mind that matters.  My late husband was a genius the likes of which this world has rarely seen, and Lena bears his legacy.”

Bowing from the neck, Henshaw left the room.

Turning back to the desk, Lillian Luthor opened the laptop again and examined the photo.  It was Kara and Lena, the alien behind her daughter and embracing Lena.  The two young women smiled and looked adoringly into each other’s eyes as a sneer rode along Lillian’s lip.  

Sighing, Lillian shook her head.  “Oh, Lena.  You have one of the most incredible brains on this entire planet.  Why isn’t that the body part you choose to use when making critical life decisions?”


	19. Truth or Consequences, Not Just a Town in New Mexico

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so remember how I said chapter 13, the Reign chapter, was long? I was wrong. Perspective is a bitch. This one is a bit choppy, my fellows, but there's a madness to my method. I thank all y'all for hanging in here with me so far. Less comedy here than in previous chapters, but we did need to get a bit serious for this one. We turn a corner, but I hope it's appreciated.

Smiling broadly as she walked into the kitchen, Kara said, “Mmmm, something smells good.”  She wrapped her arms around Lena from behind, kissing the other woman on the cheek.

Flipping a pancake, Lena smiled and pressed back into the contact.  “Why thank you.  I also made breakfast.”

Kara laughed.  “Yeah, I noticed.”  She nabbed a piece of bacon from the pile on the plate next to the stove, consuming it quickly.  When she was done, she pulled Lena in a bit closer and whispered, “When I said something smelled good, I wasn’t talking about the food.”

Lena opened her mouth to respond as Kara walked away, but a playful slap on her butt had her jerking in surprise.  The spatula squirted from her hand, and she juggled it back-and-forth from hand-to-hand before she had command of it again.  Looking over her shoulder, Lena said, “Well, someone’s feeling frisky.”

Kara grinned from where she leaned back against the kitchen island, elbows for balance.  “Yeah, I’m in a mood.  Any suggestions?”

Turning back to the stove and flipping the last of the pancakes, Lena said, “Yes, but none in which you seem interested.”

“You know that’s not true.”  There were maybe two minutes of silence between them as Lena plated first the bacon and then the pancakes, and then Kara said, “So, you lied to me, Miss Luthor.”

A plate full of food in hand and her back still to Kara, Lena said, “Excuse me?”

“Lena, you forget how good my hearing is.  I don’t try to listen in, but I hear things.  When I was in the bathroom, I could hear you in the bedroom.”

“You could...hear me?”

“Yup,” Kara replied, the P popping.

“God, I’m so stupid,” Lena muttered, her shoulders slumping.  She turned.  “Kara, I’m so, so sorry.  I never wanted to be dishonest with you.  I grew up in a household of liars, and the last thing I ever wanted to be was like them.  Please believe me.”

“Hey, relax.”  Walking over to Lena, Kara placed a hand on either of her shoulders.  “I’m not upset with you.”

“You’re not?  How!?”

Kara shrugged.  “Lena, it’s not that big a deal.”

“I...It’s not?”

Shaking her head, Kara took the plate and inhaled deeply.  “This smell great.  Are butter and syrup still in the fridge?”

“No, uh, they’re on the table.”

“Thanks,” Kara said with a smile, kissing Lena’s cheek.  As she headed over to the table, Kara said, “I was surprised when I heard you, but I wasn’t upset.”

“I don’t see how.  I’m upset with myself for lying to you.  Oh, you need utensils.”  Grabbing a fork and knife, Lena brought them to Kara.

“Thanks.  Honestly, it’s not that big a deal.  I’m not sure why you didn’t tell me the truth.  It’s just not something I understand.  It does explain the way you were acting on the ride up here. I’m always going off in the car, and you were so pensive.  It had something to do with that, right?”

Hands folded together in front of her, Lena nodded.  “That was a lot of it, yes.”

Taking a break from buttering her pile of pancakes, Kara smiled up at Lena and took one of Lena’s hands in hers.  “Well, now that I know, no more lying, okay?”

Sighing with relief, Lena nodded.  As Kara took her hand back, Lena slid into another chair.  “Actually, I’m glad you know.  The lying has been tearing me up inside.  It hasn’t been long.  I just started lying to you, but it felt awful.  I don’t want that kind of relationship.  You understand that, don’t you?”

“Sure,” Kara said as she studiously cut up her pancakes.  “I want an honest relationship too.  Hey, now that I know, once you get over whatever is making you shy, maybe we can do it together.”

“Whatever you want, darling.  I’d be happy to…”  As the smile warped a bit on her face, Lena’s eyes narrowed.  “Do **it** together?”

“Mmmm,” Kara said around a mouthful of pancakes.  “Like a duet.”

Arms crossed as she leaned back in her chair, Lena repeated, “Like a duet.”

Kara nodded.

Lena was about to reply but paused as Eliza walked in, plate in hand and smiling as she made her way to the sink.  While Eliza washed her plate, Lena pressed her forearms on the table and whispered, “Like a duet of...truth?”

Swallowing, Kara laughed.  “What?  No, silly.  Singing.”

Mouth opening and closing while she did some facial gymnastics, Lena looked from Kara, toward the upstairs, furrowed her brow as she looked away, looked up again, back at Kara, did several rounds of looking all about while she pointed from place to place in obvious confusion.  Finally, at a total loss, she said, “What the fuck are you talking about?”

A forkful of pancakes stalled in front of her mouth, Kara lowered the food and said, “I heard you singing.”

“You heard me singing?”

Nodding slowly, Kara said, “Yeah, when I was in the shower, I heard you singing.  I couldn’t make out what song it was, but I heard you.  You had really good resonance and excellent rhythm.  It got a bit pitchy at one point, but we can work on that.  I’ll help you.”

Brows furrowed and head shaking, Lena said, “You heard me…”  Suddenly, Lena’s eyebrows shot up and she inhaled quickly, whispering, “Oh, my God.”

Chewing again, Kara nodded.  “Mhummm.”  She swallowed.  “I did hear you say that.  Was it some kind of religious song?  I know there are hymns and stuff, but I don’t really know anything about them.  Honestly, I try not to listen in.  I keep my hearing turned in when I can, but sometimes something gets my attention, and I thought I heard you call my name.”

Both hands over her mouth, Lena exhaled slowly.  “Ooooooh.”  Reaching out, she grasped Kara’s forearm.  “Look, Kara, this isn’t...Well, this is going to be awkward.  It’s hardly the most embarrassing conversation I’ve had, even today, but still, not exactly breakfast table conversation.  So, about my...verbal exercises this morning…”

Chomping on a piece of bacon, Kara nodded.

Drying her hands on a dish towel, Eliza walked up to the table and said, “What do you girls have planned for the day?”

“Ummm, I have some shopping to do in town, Eliza.  What about you, Lena?”

Gaze shifting back-and-forth between mother and daughter, Lena released Kara’s arm and said, “Same.”

“Great,” Eliza said with a bright smile.  “I have some shopping to do in town too.  Do you two mind if I cut in on your shopping date, or would you rather have some private time?”

“Oh, no need for private time,” Lena said to her hands.

“We may have to ditch you for a little bit, Eliza, but you’re welcome to join us.  I think we still have some shopping left to do for you.”

“Well, I have to ditch you both also,” Eliza replied.  “Lena, are you busy, or can I borrow you for a few minutes?”

“Actually, we were just--”

“Now is fine,” Lena said as she rose.  “We can talk later, Kara.  Why don’t you finish your food so we can head out for the day?”

Kara nodded as she watched the other two women head toward the door.  “Oh, hey, we should get a karaoke machine while we’re out.”

Lena paused but didn’t turn, only nodding and continuing into the living room.

“Is Kara going to talk you into singing a duet with her?”  Eliza asked as they entered the living room.

“More like I’m trying to convince her to sing with me,” Lena replied.  “So, what did you need, Eliza?”

“Upstairs,” she said, continuing on her way as Lena followed in her wake.  In her bedroom, Eliza asked, “Can you put some music on your phone?”

“I can, but—”

Eliza pointed to a speaker system in the corner as she walked over to it, turning it on.  

Going through Spotify, Lena asked, “What do you want to hear?”

“It doesn’t matter.  I just want to stop our resident nosy Kryptonian from eavesdropping.”

Lena nodded, picking a playlist and starting it while Eliza synced Lena’s phone, and the music came through the speakers.  

“Perfect,” Eliza said as she sat on the bed and patted a spot next to her.

Coming to stand near Eliza, Lena fretted her fingers together.  “Am I in trouble, Eliza?”

“In trouble?”  Eliza frowned.  “Why would you ask me that?”

Running a hand through her hair as she sat, Lena said, “Well, you pulled me up here and made sure Kara couldn’t hear us.  I assume you…”  Lena shrugged, fingers winding together.

Tugging Lena’s hands apart, Eliza squeezed one comfortingly.  “Lena, I just wanted to talk to you because—”

“I care for Kara so much.  I’d never purposefully do anything to hurt her.”

“Uh...okay.”

Grabbing Eliza’s hand that held hers with her free hand, Lena assured, “Kara’s the best thing that’s ever come into my life.  You have to believe me.”

As Lena’s green eyes stared at her eagerly, Eliza said, “Lena, it’s Christmas time.  I just wanted to talk to you about presents for Kara.”

“Oh.”  Nodding, Lena relaxed.  “Right, it’s Christmas.  That’s completely normal and not at all sinister.  That makes perfect sense.”

“Your mother really did a number on you, didn’t she?”

“Daily,” Lena admitted.

Pointing at herself, Eliza said, “Not Lillian Luthor, remember?”

Throwing an arm around Eliza and hugging her, Lena said, “Thank you.”

Hugging Lena in return, Eliza said, “My pleasure, not that it took any effort on my part.”  She patted Lena’s back, and they broke apart.  “Now, before Kara finishes the rest of the food in the kitchen and comes looking for you, I have a question of a non-diabolical nature.”

“I’m not familiar with those but shoot...not literally.”

Eliza laughed.  “I’m not armed.”

“You are nothing like my mother.”

Squeezing Lena’s hand again, Eliza shook her head.  “Wow, you and Maggie are going to make this mother-in-law thing way too easy.  If I let Maggie into the house, and I don’t to try to kill you, I’ll be a success.”

“Pretty much.”

“Well, I can do better than that, much better.  I don’t parent on a curve, sweetheart.  Lena, even from the short time I’ve known you, I can tell you’re a good person deserving of love.  I don’t know what was wrong in that family of yours that you didn’t feel it, but I know it wasn’t you.  You’re sweet, kind, loving, and you’re going to be an amazing Danvers woman no matter what last name you decide to take.  I’m sorry you never felt it before, but unconditional love exists in this world, and it’s going to exist in your life, okay?”

Eyes swimming and lower lip quivering, Lena nodded.

Patting Lena’s hand, Eliza said, “Yeah, I’m going to start crying too, so let’s change the subject.  What do you know about Kryptonian marriage?”

“Um...nothing?  I only just found out about Kara being Supergirl.  I’m rather clueless about all of this.”

“Ugh, that girl.  I can’t believe Kara dated you and didn’t tell you...That’s not the kind of secret you keep from someone you love, not unless you want to destroy the trust you have in your relationship.  I’m so annoyed with her I could...Well, I could go all Lillian Luthor on her.  Kidding!  Kidding!” Eliza added quickly.  “I’m all bark and no bite.  You know that, right?”

“I do.  It can be hard to remember at times when you grew up with a rabid parent.”

“Right.  Sorry.  Anyway, when Kryptonians get married, they don’t have rings.  They have bracelets.”

“Bracelets.”

Eliza nodded.  “I’m assuming you haven’t spoken to Lois.”

“No, but I suggested to Kara that I might do so.  I thought it could help.”

“I think you’re right.  She’s the only person on this planet that knows what you’re going through.  You should talk to her.  Though I should warn you, Lois can be a bit...brusque.”  

“How so?”

“Like a verbal brillo pad, but underneath she’s...No, she just has no filter.  She’s a very good person.  She says exactly what she thinks at all times.  The woman lacks the ability to deceive.”

“Really?  I can’t imagine that.”

“Meet Lois, and you won’t have to.  In five minutes time she’ll tell you everything she’s ever thought about you, and then as she gets to know you, she’ll tell you exactly what she now thinks of you.”

Recoiling, Lena said, “I’m Lex Luthor’s little sister.”

“Right.  Well, it might take her more than five minutes to tell you what she thought of you, but you won’t be left guessing.”

“Okay, meet Lois Lane over drinks, lots and lots of drinks, check.  Anything else?”

“Buy Kara a bracelet.  If you want a ring so Kara Danvers has one for the public, that’s fine.  Kara Zor-El, she’ll want a bracelet from her wife.  Getting her one will mean the world to her.”

Slowly nodding as she bit at her lower lip, Lena said, “Kara deserves the world.”

“Then buy her a bracelet and show her.”

Hugging Eliza again, Lena said, “Thank you, Eliza.  I won’t forget your advice.”

“Good.  I want to see the bracelet when you get it.”

Releasing Eliza, Lena said, “Yes, well, um...when a bracelet has been bought for Kara, you’ll see it.  That seems only fitting.”

“Perfect.  Let’s go see what else Kara’s eaten in our absence.”

“I’m frightened to find out.”

A hand on Lena’s shoulder as they stood, Eliza said, “It’s a good thing money isn’t a problem for you.  Feeding Kara could put someone in the poor house.  Take it from the single mom here.”

With a stuttering step, Lena stopped dead in her tracks.

Turning, Eliza asked, “What is it?”

“Jeremiah.”

“Yes, he was here for that first year that Kara was with us.”  Head tilting, Eliza watched the expression that crept across Lena’s face.  “Sweetheart, no.  You know what happened to him wasn’t your—”

“I’m so sorry,” Lena said, her words almost blurring together as she shook her head frantically.

“No, Lena, no.  You didn’t—”

“Alex said I could help her.  I asked, and she agreed to let me help her.”

“Lena, take a breath and—”

“I have access to the DEO now.  I’ll devote a section of L-Corp’s resources to this.  I’ll handpick the people myself, so I’ll know they weren’t ever part of Luthor Corp.  Alex can also run background checks on them.  We’ll make sure they’re trustworthy.  We won’t leave a stone unturned in our search.  We’ll get him back.  I don’t know how yet, but we’ll get him back.  We will, Eliza.  I promise.  I do.”

While Lena had wound down and was nodding at her, eyes imploring, Eliza smiled and placed a hand on the younger woman’s back.  “Of course, you will.  Between you and my daughter, there’s no way you can fail.  I believe in you both.  Hey, I’m going to get a fleece from my closet.  It may be warm for certain aliens, but it’s still a bit chilly for me.  Do me a favor and check on Kara, tell her were about ready to go, okay?”

“All right,” Lena replied, her smile stilted.  “Thank you.”

“Sweetie it...You’re welcome.”

Lena walked away but stopped at the door again, turning and smiling shyly before she left.

Eliza watched the girl go, a gentle smile on her face.  When enough time had passed that it was certain she was alone, she sat down on the bed again, hands folded together and head bowed.  Now the tears came, not sobs but slow tears that slid from her eyes and down her cheeks.  She sat for a few minutes as she gathered herself together again, readying to face the others.

“Hey, Eliza are you...what’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing sweetheart,” Eliza said as she rose and turned, ducking her head away.  She wiped at tears as she made her way to the closet.  “Are you and Lena all set to go?  Make sure you use the bathroom before we leave, Kara.”

“Are you crying?”

“No, I’m…” Eliza shrugged, turning with a sniffle.  “You know how I get around the holidays.  It’s nothing.  I’m just sentimental.”

“Eliza...Lena told me she mentioned Jeremiah.  She was worried she upset you.  What happened?”

“She didn’t.”

“Eliza…”  Kara held out one hand.  “You’re crying.”

“Not over that, not really.”

“Tell me.”

Taking Kara’s hand, Eliza sat on the bed as her daughter sat next to her.  “It was Lena.”

“She upset you?”

“Not the way you think.  We spoke about Jeremiah, yes, but that isn’t what upset me.  She...Kara, last night you and Lena got into a fight about what name you’d take when you got married.  You ended up saying you’d take Luthor, didn’t you?”

“I...Yeah, I did.  Is that a problem?”

“No, sweetheart.”  Squeezing Kara’s hand, Eliza said, “Just knowing Lena the short time I have, I didn’t expect her to give up the name Luthor.  She wouldn’t do that.”

“How do you know that?”

“Kara, that girl is carrying so much guilt around it’s unhealthy, and she disguises it as responsibility.  She wouldn’t give up the name Luthor because to her, that would be running from her responsibility, from what her family has done and what she is responsible for doing to fix their wrongs.”

“But, Eliza, Lena isn’t responsible for—”

“I know,” Eliza assured.  “I know Lena isn’t responsible for anything her family did, but Lena doesn’t understand that.  If she gave up the name Luthor, she’d be giving up the guilt that came with it...at least some of it.  To her, it’s not just a name; it’s a stigma.  That girl is filled with shame for circumstances outside of her control.  Do you understand that?”

“She’s keeping her name because she’s ashamed of it?”

“She’s keeping her name because she thinks she deserves it.  Unless she can make it a name to be proud of, she’s not worthy of a different name.”  Squeezing Kara’s hand, she said, “I’m surprised she agreed to marry you.  That girl is so self-loathing, I wouldn’t think she’d think she’s worthy of you.”

“Uh...Eliza I…”

“Kara, I’m not saying she’s not.  I’ve told you more than once; I think Lena’s wonderful.  I also think you’re exactly what she needs.  Lena needs unconditional love, and I know you can supply that.  Take care of her, okay?”

Pulling her foster mother into a hug, Kara said, “I will, Eliza, thank you.

“Anytime, sweetheart.”  She squeezed Kara, patting her back.  “I’m getting pretty good at taking in you children.  First you, then Maggie, and now Lena.  My life is getting pretty full, and I couldn’t be happier about it.”

Sliding back until their gazes met, Kara said, “Me too.”

“Oh, now don’t you cry,” Eliza said, running a thumb under Kara’s eye to wipe away a tear.  “What will Lena think if she finds us both up here bawling our eyes out?”

“That Danvers women are sensitive?”

“Especially Alex.  That girl cries at the drop of a hat.”

Laughing, Kara said, “It’s true.  It would ruin her reputation at the DEO if people knew it.”

“Then it will have to be our little secret.”  Patting Kara’s arm, Eliza said, “Come on, let’s get going.  We can’t leave that fiancée of yours waiting all day.”

“Okay.”  As they walked to the door, Kara asked, “Eliza, you really believe Lena thinks she’s not worthy of me?”

“Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s my feeling, Kara.  Show her otherwise.”

“Definitely.”

Downstairs, Lena wasn’t in the living room, but calling her name got a response from the kitchen.

“There you are,” Kara said with a smile.  “What are you up to?”

With what looked like a grocery list in her hand, Lena was walking around and making notes.  “I had a bit of time to kill, so I thought I’d start a list.”

“Are we grocery shopping?”

“Upgrades,” Lena replied, writing something down and then turning.  “Since we’re leaving for a bit, I started to defrag Eliza’s hard drive.  However, I was looking around the house, and there are definitely some little things we could do that would make her life easier.”

“Um...okay.  Like what?”  As Lena held out the list, Kara took it and began to read off some things.  “LED light bulbs, home security system, smart house lock, wireless A/C control, new coffee maker, soft closing cabinets…”  With a little grin, Kara asked, “That’s it huh?”

“Well, you interrupted me.  I only got to the living room and the kitchen.  Do you have other suggestions?  There are these amazing bathroom tiles that are bacteria and mold resistant if you think—”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down, Lena.  You know, Eliza would probably be happy with some mittens, a necklace, and a box of chocolates for Christmas.  This is...a lot.”

Taking the list back, Lena said, “This isn’t for Christmas.”

“It’s not.”

“No,” Lena replied, shaking her head.  “Well, perhaps the coffee maker, but the rest just seems like something we should do.  She’s letting us stay here, after all.”

“We’re family.”

“I’m not, not really.”

“Lena, you are.”

“I’m not, Kara.  Eliza doesn’t know it, but I’m not.  Don’t you think she’s going to be rather upset when she finds out?”

Gently squeezing Lena’s shoulders, Kara said, “She’s so fond of you, she’s only going to be upset if I don’t actually marry you.”

Mouth agape, Lena finally said, “That probably meant something slightly different in Kryptonian.”

“You think?”

“I’m going to have to at least pretend it did.  So, this list—”

“Hey, maybe we could at least pare it down a little bit.”

“Well…” Looking at her list again, Lena said, “The LEDs and the cabinet closers are simple.  Can we get those?”

“Sure.”

“Can we get her a better coffee maker for Christmas?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Can we at least get her the security system?  She lives all alone here.  How has Alex not installed one yet?”

“I have no idea,” Kara admitted.  “Sure, let’s buy it, but you’re in charge of talking her into it.”

“Deal.”

“Girls?” Eliza pushed opened the kitchen door.  “Are we leaving?  Also, Lena, what did you do to my computer?”

“I’m defragging the hard drive, Eliza.  You need to do that more often.  When was the last time you upgraded your system?”

“Don’t answer that, Eliza,” Kara warned jokingly.  “It’s a trick.”

“It is not a trick, Eliza,” Lena argued.  “I noticed you have a lot of documents and photos, yet you don’t even have a terabyte of storage.  Your hard drive was over 90% full.  We should rectify that.”

“Maybe she doesn’t need a terabyte of storage.”

“Hard drives are cheap,” Lena said dismissively toward Kara as she walked over to Eliza. “A terabyte is practically pennies.”

“Pennies,” Kara repeated, hands on hips.

“Fine, dollars.”

“Dollars,” Kara stressed the word, hands still on hips.

Spinning and matching Kara’s stance, Lena said, “Yes, dollars.  You can get a decent four terabyte external hard drive for home use for around a hundred dollars now.”

“Four terabytes, huh?”  Kara rubbed at her chin thoughtfully, and then asked, “Is that considered a lot on this planet?”

“Are you kidding?”

With a smirk, Kara shrugged.

Turning, Lena looped her arm through Eliza’s.  “Come on, Eliza.  Let’s go shopping.  Forget the alien.”

“Hey, that’s racist, Lena,” Kara said, but she was grinning.  “I don’t go around calling you human like you’re all the same.”

Ignoring Kara, Lena said, “You can ride shotgun.  The alien can fly there.”

“Hey, Eliza, do you hear her, do you hear what she’s saying?”

Shrugging while she glanced over her shoulder at Kara, Eliza looked at Lena and said, “Can I drive?”

“Of course.  It has a bit of a kick, so be careful.”

“Hey!  Humans!  Hey!  I’m being oppressed!”

 

<><> 

 

“What do you think, Kara?” Lena asked, holding up a necklace.

Arms crossed as she leaned away slightly, Kara blinked several times.  “I think it’s jewelry.”

“Yes, very observant.  I mean, what do you think about it for Alex?”

“Like a gift?”

Lena nodded.

“What would Alex do with that?”  Taking the necklace, Kara examined it.  “Does it have some kind of hidden area and it turns into a garrote?  Is it a communication device?  Does it offer cloaking technology?”

“Kara.”  Taking the necklace back, Lena said, “It’s pretty.  Alex is a girl who likes pretty jewelry.”

“Well, I know she’s a girl but...are you sure?”

“That she’s a girl?”

“No, I mean the jewelry.”

“Kara, you’ve seen her wear jewelry,” Lena reminded the blonde.  “She wears earrings all the time, remember?”

“That’s just her com.”

Putting the necklace back, Lena sighed.  “All right, **Kara** , what do you think your sister would like since you know her so well?”

“You can’t go wrong with a tactical knife set.  Alex would love that, or how about a combat tomahawk.”

Turning away and flipping her loose hair over her shoulder, Lena said, “I’m not having this discussion with you.”

“What, you don’t think she’d want a melee weapon?  You’re right.  We’ll get a range weapon.  Oh, what about upgrading the stock for her favorite rifle?  She and Vasquez were discussing accuracy recently and—”

“Talk to the hand!” Lena said still walking away, her arm bent at the elbow and one hand raised in the air.

Hurrying after the other woman, Kara said, “Do you think a new scope would be better?”

 

<><> 

 

“Girls, I need your opinion,” Eliza said.

“On what?” Kara asked.

Holding up two scarves, Eliza said, “Which one would Alex prefer?”

“I’m going to leave this up to you two,” Lena said.  “You both know Alex much better than I do.”

“You know her too,” Kara said.

“I’ll be over there.”  Lena smiled as she walked away.

“But—”

“Kara, let the girl go,” Eliza squeezed her forearm.  “She’s trying to do some Christmas shopping for you too you know.”

“Oh.”  Kara nodded.  “Show me the scarves again?”  Studying them both, Kara said, “Get her the blue one.”

“Are you saying that because you like blue?”

“What?  Me?  Pfft.  No, Eliza, I’m like totally offended that you’d insinuate I’d ever steal an article of my sister’s clothing.  That’s like so beneath me.”

“I apologize dear.  I’m sure that’s never happened.  This would bring out your eyes though.”

“Wouldn’t it?” Kara said, wrapping the scarf around her neck and pulling her braid out from under it as she looked into the mirror and smiled.  

With an eye roll, Eliza said, “Yes, I think Alex will love it.  Good choice, Kara.”

“Hmmm?  Oh, sure thing, Eliza.”

“So, are you all set on gifts for Lena?”

“Actually, I had gotten her a few things back before we left National City, but now I’m not sure it’s...enough.”

“Thinking of going to Saturn?” Eliza asked with a smirk.

“Ha.  No, I...no.  No, but I want to get her something that says I know her.  I care about her.  That I want this to last.  Do you know what I mean?”

“Kara, you’re marrying her.  I’m pretty sure that means you want it to last.”

Head slumping forward, Kara said, “I guess.”

“Hey.”  Hand on Kara’s shoulder, Eliza said, “Is there something you’re not telling me?  Did something happen with you and Lena?  You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

Brows furrowed, Kara looked at Eliza and said, “I don’t get cold feet.”

“I mean, are you having second thoughts about your relationship with Lena?”

“No, I know exactly what I want with Lena.  I’m just not sure I know how to tell her.”

“Do you think she’s having second thoughts?”

Looking across the store to where Lena was engaged in a conversation with a salesperson, Kara replied, “She hasn’t given me any reason to believe she’s less committed than she was when we got here.  If anything, she’s more so.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, Kara.  Stop worrying then, sweetheart.  Lena’s the one, your forever, and you love her.  Maybe you feel like you’re struggling with a way to tell her.”

“A way to tell her?”

“Saying, ‘I love you’ isn’t the only way to let someone know that you love them, Kara.  As a matter of fact, it’s hollow if it isn’t backed up with things you do to show them that you love them.  Are you struggling with that?”

“I do struggle with trying to say things the right way sometimes, Eliza.”  Kara paused, considering, then added, “You know, on Krypton, the matrix would choose our mates, and our family units were very successful, but they were chosen for genetic compatibility, intellectual stimulation, moral alignment, and companionship.  Romantic love, though it happened, wasn’t a goal.  When we said that to someone in our family, when we told them we loved them, the word didn’t have a romantic meaning.  It doesn’t actually translate in a literal sense.”

“Oh, well that’s...I don’t think I actually understood that.”

“I was twelve when I left Krypton.  I never considered it, and then I was in high school, and all of the girls were talking about boys, and crushes, and love, and I think I was just as confused as Alex was.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

Smiling, Kara shrugged.  “It’s fine.  I did see one translation once that helped me.”

“Which was?”

Looking around, Kara’s smile grew as she saw a display across the store.  She made haste to the rack, eyes searching up and down until she found what she was looking for, pulling something out and holding it up for Eliza to see.

Eyes straining, Eliza stared across the store, squinting until she finally whispered, “Really?”

Still smiling, Kara nodded eagerly and held her find tight to her chest.

With a sigh and a small smile, Eliza shook her head.  “Okay, if you say so.”

 

<><> 

 

“What is that?”

Looking up at the screen, Lena said, “It’s a music video.”

“No,” Kara replied frowning.  “It might be a video, but that’s not music.  I know music, and that’s not it.”

Lena shrugged.  “It’s catchy.”

“You like it?”

“I didn’t say I liked it.  I said it was catchy.  This was very popular about a year ago.  It was all over youtube.”

Scowling, Kara said, “What in the hell is he even saying?  ‘I have a pen.  I have a pineapple.  Uh!  Pineapple-Pen...He got paid to write that?”

“Quite a bit, actually,” Lena said, nodding.

“I will never understand what these humans—”

“Shhhhh!”  Grabbing Kara’s hand, Lena pulled her off to the side.  “Keep your voice down.  People are watching us.”

“Fine.”  Kara spoke in a much quieter voice.  “I’ll never understand some of what passes for music on this planet.  Some of it is wonderful, but some of it is a tragedy.  It would be better used to question prisoners.”

“Oh stop it,” Lena said with a laugh.  “You’ve been on this planet too long to act like this.”

“I’m not acting.  That...that...song should be against the Geneva Convention.  We could take that back to the DEO and use it quite effectively for interrogation purposes.  Actually, that’s not a bad idea.”

“You’re awful.”

“I’m an innovator.”

Wrapping her arms around Kara, Lena said, “Someone is taking our picture.  Try not to look like an alien.”

“I am an alien.”

With a sigh, she played with Kara’s ponytail and said, “Just hold me and stare adoringly into my eyes.  Can you do that?”

Wrapping her arms around Lena, Kara pulled her in more tightly, “Until the yellow sun turns red.  You’re the best part of this planet.  I’m so glad I found you.”

“I think we found each other, but I agree.  You make this world home.”

 

<><> 

 

The lens zoomed in, focusing on Lena.  It took in details of her, picking up the green in her eyes, the slightly curl of her ponytail, even the red fibers of her jacket.  Suddenly something blue obscured the view, and the lens zoomed out.  A blue shirt and blonde braid were in the way, blocking the observer.

“What do you want to do now?” Lena asked.

“Lunch?”

Checking her watch, Lena nodded.  “Eliza should be along in a minute.  Can you hold out until then?”

Bags hanging from her hands, Kara slid her arms over Lena’s shoulders and said, “I don’t know.  Maybe we could start with dessert.”

“Why, Miss Danvers, are you coming onto me?”  Lena grinned.

“It’s more likely than you think.”

“What about our boundaries?”

“I think we’re pretty safe out here in the middle of downtown Midvale, don’t you?  Do you feel safe in my arms?”

“I do, but...Kara.”  Lena sighed, running her hands up and down Kara’s back.  “Kara, I really respect you.”

“Well, I really respect you too.”  Moving a step closer so her arms hung down Lena’s back, Kara said, “How far do you expect this to get?  We’re still on the sidewalk.  I may not be a native, but I’m fairly certain of what’s legal around here.”

“Kara, I’m serious.  There’s something I want to say.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“The thing is--”

Stiffening, Kara pulled away suddenly, hurriedly shoveling the bags off to Lena.  “I’ll be right back.”

“What?  Where?”

“Someone’s calling for help.  I’ll be right back.”

As she grabbed at the last of the packages, Lena looked up to see Kara disappear down an alley.  Seconds later, she saw a red and blue streak disappear into the sky.  “Well, that figures.  So much for honesty.  Good luck getting your nerve up again, Lena.”  She shifted the bags around again, getting the piles they had amassed as comfortably in her hands as she could.

“Lena Luthor?”

Turning at the voice of a man saying her name, Lena grumbled when she saw who it was.  “Jake.  What a...surprise seeing you again.  You just missed Kara.”

“I know.  I saw her leave.  I wanted to speak to you in private.  If you’d just—”

“No,” Lena said, stiffening immediately.

“You don’t even know what I’m going to ask you.  It wasn’t a yes or no question.”

“All right, how about, hell no and leave!  You see, Jake, I know your type.  Kara is the nice one, the kind one, the polite one.  I’m the other one.  We’re not at some fancy gala where I have to smile nicely at you and kiss up to try to get you to donate money that you don’t need to deserving people who need it.  No, I don’t need anything from you but your absence, so get lost.”

“Miss Luthor, Lena—”

“Let’s stick with Miss Luthor, shall we?”

Tensing, Jake looked around the somewhat busy street, watching people go in and out of stores for some last minute Christmas shopping before he rolled his shoulders to relax them and nodded, once.  “Miss Luthor, will you come with me?  I want—”

“I don’t give a fuck what you want, Jake, and I’m not going anywhere with you.  You hit on my fiancée even after you knew she and I were engaged.  You stick out your dick and piss on my territory, and I’ll cut it off for you.  Do you understand?”

“Lena!”  Eliza waved and smiled as she walked up with another woman.

Forcing herself to relax and smile, Lena nodded.  “Eliza, Kara had to leave for a moment.”  She turned as she saw Jake walking away, dismissing him from her attention and turning back to Eliza again.  “She shouldn’t be long.”

“Is everything all right?” Eliza asked.

“Just a work issue with which she needed to deal,” Lena said raising her eyebrows and holding Eliza’s gaze in hers.

“Kara’s work?  Oh, Kara’s work,” Eliza said nodding.  Turning and gesturing to the woman next to her, Eliza said, “Lena, this is my friend Jenny.  Jenny, this is my daughter’s fiancée Lena.”

“Jenny, so nice to meet you,” Lena said sliding packages up one wrist and extending her hand.

“You too, Lena, and congratulations on your engagement.  Eliza is ecstatic that both her girls are getting married.”

“Ah...yes.”  Her gaze skimming across Eliza’s, Lena nodded.  “Eliza has been incredibly kind and welcoming to me.”

“Well, you’re family,” Eliza said.

By sheer force of will, Lena managed not to wince.

“Adding a celebrity to the family, Eliza.  My, my.”  Jenny smiled.  “One daughter is in the FBI, and the other is making quite the name for herself in journalism, you’ve got a big-city police detective joining your brood, and now a famous daughter-in-law.”

With a slightly tight laugh, Lena said, “I’m more infamous than famous.”  

“Oh, nonsense,” Eliza said, squeezing Lena’s arm.  “Here, let me take some of those bags.  Jenny, don’t listen to Lena’s sense of humor.  She’s always joking like that.  Lena is quite the philanthropist.  She funds a children’s hospital, a woman’s shelter, and several scholarships.”

As she handed some bags off to Eliza, Lena shrugged.  “Well, it’s the least I can do.”

“No, nothing is the least you can do, Lena.  You do a lot.”  Eliza held eye contact until Lena yielded with a small nod.  “Yes, as you can see, Jenny, I’m proud of all my girls.”

“And with good reason.”  Jenny smiled again.  “Well, I won’t keep you both.  I just ran into Eliza, and she offered to introduce me to you.  You’re my brush with fame, Lena.  The girls in the book club will be jealous.  When are you going to write a book?”

“Oh, I...ah…”

“Maybe Kara will ghostwrite it for her,” Eliza offered.  “Nothing quite like marrying a writer.”

Her smile not reaching her eyes, Lena nodded.  As Jenny left, Lena said, “That was all very kind of you, Eliza, but you don’t need to protect me from people.  I know why I’m famous.”

“The only person I’m protecting you from is you, Lena, and apparently I do.  You, young lady, are your own worst enemy.”  Looping her arm with Lena’s, she said, “I assume we’re supposed to go somewhere and order lunch, and Kara will join us?”

“You know your daughter so well.”

“I know all my girls,” Eliza said, tugging Lena a bit closer to her.

They chose a newer bistro that had opened about two years ago.  It had some healthy options, and Lena and Eliza ordered three appetizers: mozzarella sticks, potato skins, and bruschetta.  The latter they were sharing when a slightly anxious looking Kara showed up.

“Hey, you weren’t at Pops.”  Arms crossed, Kara stood with her mouth tight as she twisted it back and forth.

Eliza and Lena exchanged a wary glance, and then Lena said, “I’m sorry.  Did we agree to meet at Pops?”

“Ugh.”  Hands slapping against her legs, Kara sat down stiffly.  “I assumed that’s where we were going.”

“Oh, well, don’t assume,” Lena said with a shrug.

“That’s not the problem, Lena.”  Kara leaned forward, gripping the table.  “I went to Pops, and you weren’t there.  I didn’t know where you were.  I looked for you, and I didn’t know where you were.”

“Okay, well, I’m sorry.  You could have just called and—”

“You have my purse.  My phone is in my purse.  Lena, I looked everywhere when you weren’t at Pops, everywhere, Lena, everywhere.  I started looking all over because you were missing and—” There was a sharp crack from the table, and everyone paused.  Taking a deep breath, Kara opened her hands laying her open palms on the table.  “I couldn’t find you.  I didn’t know what had happened to you.  You were...gone.”

“Okay.  Okay, I’m sorry,” Lena said laying a gentle hand on top of Kara’s and tracing slow circle’s on the back of the other woman’s hand.  “Everything is fine though.  I’m right here, and I’m safe.  Are you hungry?”

“Yes,” Kara admitted hesitantly.

“We got you cheese sticks and potato skins.  We had them bring out extra sour cream.  Does that sound good?”

Kara shrugged, but she pulled a plate of food over to her and started to eat.

“We got your orange soda,” Lena offered.

“I like orange soda,” Kara said around a mouthful of food.

“I know you do, darling.  Hey, next time we’ll agree where we’re meeting so—”

Capturing Lena’s hand, Kara said, “There won’t be a next time.  We’ll just stay together.”

“Kara.”  Eliza sighed heavily.

Smiling over at Eliza, Lena raised a hand to her then turned back to Kara.  “Did you help whoever else needed your help?”

“I…” With a shrug, Kara admitted, “Yes.”

“Good, then you did the right thing.”

“Not if something happened to you.”

“Kara, we can’t avoid an actual need over some hypothetical situation.  Whoever you helped was in need.  I’m fine.  You did the right thing.”

“This time,” Kara mumbled, shoving more food into her mouth.

Pulling Kara’s hand to her lips, Lena applied gentle kisses to the knuckles.  “Are you going to pout through our whole lunch?”

“Maybe.”

“No matter what?” Lena asked, continuing to kiss her way along Kara’s fingers.

“Well…” Kara struggled to keep a smile off her face.  “It’s kind of hard when you’re kissing me.”

“Oh, really?”  Lena smirked.  “And why is that, Miss Danvers?”

Her other forearm on the table, Kara leaned toward Lena, “I think you know why, Miss Luthor.”

“It’s almost like you like being kissed by me,” Lena said, applying more kisses.

With a small grumble of frustration, Kara slid a bit closer to Lena.  “You keep that up, and I’ll show you in a way that may not be appropriate in public.”

“Or in front of your mother?” Eliza asked.

Startling, both Lena and Kara jerked apart.

“Oh, sorry Eliza,” Kara said, reddening a bit.

Brows furrowed as she leaned back in the chair, Eliza’s gaze shifted between the two girls.

“Kara Danvers, welcome back to Midvale,” said a man not much older than Kara who approached their table.  He had brown, curly hair, round glasses, a baggy suit, and a camera hanging around his neck.

“Uh...Oliver?” Kara asked.

“In the flesh,” he replied, smiling broadly and pulling his camera up to his eye.  “Say cheese...stick.”  The camera flashed, and he turned and repeated the process with Lena.  “So, I have a few candids of you two already.  Want to answer a few questions for our article?”

“We’re at lunch,” Lena said, bristling.

“Ah, yeah, Oliver.  We’re actually on vacation with Eliza.  Maybe you could just…” Kara waved the back of one hand at the man.

“But you two are news,” he said.  “You get that, Kara.  You should too, Lena.”

“It’s Miss Luthor,” Lena replied coolly.  “Yes, I’m far too familiar with the idea the press has that my private life needs to be public at all times.  So, tell me...Oliver, is it?”

He nodded.

Lena smiled, but there was a predatory glint to it.  “Tell me, Oliver, what’s your favorite sexual position?”

“Excuse me?”

“Hold old were you when you lost your virginity?  Ever had a threesome?  Ever fuck a married woman or man?  It is 2018 after all.  Kara, take notes.”

Nodding, Kara looked around for her purse.

“I...I...What are you doing?” Oliver asked.

“I own a major media company, Oliver, and I’ve decided that you’re news.  I’m going to dig into your private life and make it as public as possible.  Kara, call Jimmy.  Let’s get a photographer down here to follow Oliver around.  Let’s see how often he goes to church, where he shops, and if he recycles.  I’d say his trash is fair game.”

“I don’t treat people like this,” Oliver said indignantly.

“You approached us at lunch and started snapping pictures, Oliver,” Lena countered.  “That’s not how an interview is set up.  We’re not some shady congressperson who’s been dodging the press.  We’re just two women spending time with family.”

Clearing her throat, Kara asked, “May I?”  When Lena nodded, Kara smiled up at the man.  “Oliver, were not opposed to giving an interview, but now is the wrong time, right now especially.  Lena and I just want to enjoy our vacation and spend some time with Eliza.  We’re both usually so busy working; we rarely have any free time.  You see what happens when you just barge into things like this.”  She gestured over at Lena.

For her part, Lena gave her best CEO death glare.

Properly intimidated, Oliver shirked away slightly with a nod.

“Yeah, so how about this.  How about we just enjoy our vacation, but when we’re getting ready to leave, we’ll give you an exclusive before we go?” Looking over at Lena, Kara waited.

Oliver's shoulders rose, and a smile lit his lips, but then his gaze followed Kara’s over to Lena, and he too waited.

Lena seemed to consider the merit of the idea.  Finally, with a small nod, she acquiesced.

“See?” Kara said smiling brightly.  “Isn’t that better?  Now we’re all on the same page.”

“And you won’t talk to anyone else?” Oliver asked.

“Oliver, we’ll be talking to you with this before we print anything with Catco,” Kara said still smiling.  “You even get to scoop us.”

“Awesome, that’s awesome!” He reached out, grabbing Kara’s hand and shaking eagerly, but failing to move her arm much.  When he turned and repeated the process with Lena, he shook the woman’s limb up to her shoulder.  “You two won’t regret this.  I’ll do you proud.”

Flexing her arm back into shape, Lena said, “We’ll expect to see and approve of the questions prior to the interview.  It will be better for everyone that way.”

“Oh, of course,” Oliver said, nodding seriously.

“Sounds good.  Now, if you don’t mind, I’m hungry.”

“You always were, Kara.”  Oliver smiled, waving to everyone and thanking them again as he bid them farewell and promised to get questions to them for approval.

“Well, Miss Danvers, that was very diplomatic of you.”

Kara shrugged, taking a huge bite of a potato skin.  “I was just saving him.  You had him so scared he was just about to run out of here.  You know how to deal with reporters, don’t you?”

“A lifetime of experience,” Lena said with no pride.  “How about I take care of runaway reporters, and you take care of runaway trains and such.”

Wiping her mouth, Kara took Lena’s hand and brought it to her mouth.  She laid a gentle kiss on the woman’s knuckles.  “Yes dear.”

A little hum escaped Lena’s lips as her smile grew.  Her gaze traveled to where Eliza still watched them both warily.  Turning back to Kara, she withdrew her hand and said, “You should finish your appetizers before they get cold.”

“Pfft.  Easy-peasy.”

Snapping open the lunch menu, Lena didn’t fail to notice the way Eliza continued to watch them shrewdly.

 

<><> 

 

List in hand, Lena read off the names as she checked them off.  “Okay, so we’ve taken care of Vasquez, Ront, Maggie, you, me—”

“We’re buying you a gift?” Kara asked.

“Absolutely,” Lena replied smirking.  “Charity begins at home.  We still need a gift for Alex.”

“I still say—”

“No.”

“But Alex would love—”

“Still, no.”

“I know Alex better than you do.  We’re family.”

Glaring at Kara, Lena said, “We’re not buying her a knife, ax, gun, scope, stock, or sweet sniper rifle.”

“Did I show you the specs on the sniper rifle?” Kara asked pulling out her phone.  “It’s really sweet.”

“You showed it to me.  I didn’t understand it, and still no.  If we can’t agree on something, we’ll get her an Amazon gift card, and she can buy herself something that she likes.”

“She’d rather have a Budk gift card,” Kara mumbled.

Arms folded, Lena asked, “What did you just say?”

“Uh...yes dear.”

“That’s what I thought you said.”  Looking at her list again, Lena looked down to the next name.  “Okay, how about Winn?”

“Now he doesn’t have a pistol.”

Sighing, Lena dropped both hands to her sides.  “You’ve worked with Winn for over a year now.  Nothing about him say, ‘I want a pistol.’  I’ve only met him a few times, and I know that.”  As Kara opened her mouth to respond, Lena added, “Lazer tag doesn’t count.”

“Mind reader,” Kara said with a smile.  “He needs to learn how to shoot.  He’s an agent now.”

“And the DEO will supply.  That’s their responsibility.  Christmas is about mirth, fun, joy, and frankincense.”

“Frankincense?”

Lena nodded.

“I am not familiar with that Earth gift-giving ritual.”

“It’s one of the original Christmas one.  I’ll tell you all about it.”

Kara nodded.

Looking at her list again, Lena asked, “Now, what should we get Winn?”

“Chocos!”

Looking up, Lena asked, “You want to buy him Chocos?”

Pulling packages of cookies from the shelf, Kara held several in her arms.  “These are Chocos.  They’re the best cookie in the universe!  We have to get them!”

“Chocos?”

“Chocos!”

“O-kay.”  Shaking her head, Lena said, “Just when you think you know a person.”

“Chocos!” Kara said again, laughing with glee.

 

<><> 

 

Stepping into the hardware store, Lena said, “Why don’t you look for the LED bulbs and the cabinet closers, darling.  I’ll ask about the home security system.”

Checking her phone, Kara nodded.  “Okay, we should have about twenty minutes before we need to meet up with Eliza again.  Divide and conquer.”

“Divide and conquer,” Lena agreed with a smile.  As she approached the counter, Lena slowed, and the smile left her face.  Her spine stiffened, and she said, “I didn’t think you were working today.”

Smiling at Lena like she’d just won a prize, Jake replied, “Well, it’s your lucky day because I am.”  He ran his thumbs up and down under the straps of his apron.

“Ugh.”  With an eye roll, Lena said, “Fine.  Let’s just get this over with.  Do you have any home security systems?”

Jake pressed a forearm against the counter, leaning into it.  “Oh, I’m sure they’re just busting your door down, beautiful.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.  Listen this is such a simple concept even you should get it, Jake.  It’s a yes or no question.  Do you have any home security system, yes or no?”  As Lena asked the question, she laid each of her hands on the counter palm up, laying the options out in front of him visually.

Jake responded by eyeing Lena’s hands and smiling all the more broadly.  He grasped one of her hands and said, “Yes, for you, the answer is always yes, beautiful.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lena hissed, yanking her hand back.  Folding it into a fist behind her back, her whole body coiled tightly as she’s readied to strike.  When a hand loosely gripped her wrist, she spun.  “Kara.”

“Are you okay?”

“I…” Lena nodded once, relaxing as she looked back at Jake.  “Having a bit of a customer service issue, that’s all.”

“I see,” Kara said, pulling herself up to her full height, shoulders back.  “Jake.”

“Hey, Kara.”  His smile hadn’t left his face.  “Both of you again, huh?  Double my pleasure.  Double your fun.”

“Why you insolent, dozy pillock.”  As Lena tensed her arm to strike again, Kara’s grip tightened on her wrist.

“Hey, hey, sweetie,” Kara coaxed.  “Look at me.”  When Lena did so, Kara smiled.  “He isn’t worth it.”

Glancing back at Jake’s smug grin, Lena nodded at Kara, smiling, “You’re right.  I’m fine.”  She gently tugged her hand free of Kara’s grip, digging in her purse and pulling out her phone while she grabbed a business card off the counter with her free hand.  Going into her contacts, she made a quick call.  “Jess, I need a favor.”

_“Of course, Miss Luthor.  What can I do for you?”_

“I need you to arrange for the private purchase of a business for me.”

 _“Of course.”_  There was a quick typing noise over the phone. _“What’s the business name and address?”_

“Um, Lena?”  Kara’s voice cracked slightly.

Smiling sweetly at Kara, Lena looked down at the business card and read from it.  “It’s Lancers Hardware, 134 Main Street, Midvale, California.  Make a fair offer, above market value is fine.  I’d like to close this year.”

Jess’ typing stopped. _“This year, Miss Luthor?  You do know the date, don’t you?”_

“I know how to use the calendar function on my phone, yes, Jess.  Money, Jess, throw money at this and make it happen.  Any questions?”

Jess sighed. _“No, of course not, Miss Luthor.”_

“You sound tired.  Is everything all right, Jess?”

_“Yes, it’s just that…”_

“What is it?”

 _“End of year, that’s all,”_ Jess assured.

“Is everything all right with Sam?”

_“Oh, sure, sure.  Everything is fine.  Is there anything else, Miss Luthor?”_

Lena frowned, her mouth open as she paused to question further but then lets it go.  “No, that’s all Jess.  You know you can call me if L-Corp needs additional support.”

_“I would.  I do.  We don’t.  Enjoy your vacation, Miss Luthor.”_

“Thank you, Jess.  Take care.”  Lena disconnected the phone, smiling over at Jake.

For the first time since Lena walked in, his smile wavered.  “You’re not really going to buy this place, are you?”

“I’d brush up my resume if I were you, Jake,” she said by way of response.  “Oh, you don’t happen to have any ‘Under New Management’ signs in stock, do you?”  

Open-mouthed, Jake stared.

“Never mind, we’ll check Home Depot.  Come along, Kara.”

Kara smiled, waving goodbye.  “Later, Jake.”  Outside, she slung an arm over Lena’s shoulder, “Okay, you scared the heck out of him.  You should give Jess a call back.”

“Why would I do that?”

“So she doesn’t waste her time.”  When Lena doesn’t react, Kara added, “You know, so she doesn’t think you were serious.”

“Darling, I was serious.  Jake thinks he’s a big fish because this is such a little pond.  Well, I’m a great white shark, and I’m about to gobble him up.”

Stepping back, Kara fiddled with her glasses.  “Lena, I know Jake can be a bit...abrasive.”

“Abrasive?”

Kara nodded.

“Oh, darling.”  Laying a gentle hand on Kara’s face, Lena said, “You are such a sweet person.  People like Jake should not be allowed to breathe in your oxygen.”

“I’m not really.”

“The fact that you think that just proves my point.”  Taking Kara’s hand, Lena said, “Jake approached me earlier today on the street.”

“What...What do you mean?”

“When you left on that emergency, Kara.  He purposely waited until you were gone and attempted to get me to leave with him.”

“For...He…”  Kara looked back to the store, her face shaded with a touch of ire when she met Lena’s gaze again.  “Why would he do that?  He thinks we’re engaged.”

“Because people as truly good as you, are perhaps as rare as Kryptonians on this planet, Kara.  I know that.  I knew that even before I knew who you were, and I know how lucky I am to have you in my life.”

“I’m lucky too,” Kara said, wrapping her arms around Lena’s waist, packages having been dropped off in the car at some point along the way.  “I felt so lucky to have your friendship.  I never had female friends, and I thought maybe this is what it felt like.”

Lena chuckled.  “Oh, this is not what it feels like, Miss Danvers.”

With a laugh and a shrug, Kara said, “Well, Alex was no help.  Maybe I wasn’t any help for her either.”

“I’m sure you were.  Hey, how about we hit Home Depot, and then see if Eliza wants to meet us for ice cream.”

“You want ice cream?” Kara asked excitedly.

“Not particularly,” Lena admitted.

With a contented sigh, Kara tugged Lena in a bit closer.  “You keep saying things like that, Miss Luthor, and I may just propose before they catch Janković.”

With a nervous laugh, Lena pushed away from Kara.  “Doubtful.”  She rubbed at her neck, then played with her ponytail.  “Come on.  Help me find what we need, and then I’ll buy you a double scoop.”

“Triple,” Kara replied, bouncing along beside Lena.

“Yes, darling.”

“Quadruple?”

With a stutter step, Lena asked, “Where do you put it all?”

Kara shrugged, making a noncommittal noise as she took Lena’s hand, their arms swinging between them as they made their way to the store.

 

<><> 

 

As she put packages down on the kitchen table back at Eliza’s, Kara said, “Hey, I had a great day today.”

Looking up, Lena asked with clear surprise, “Shopping?”

Kara shrugged.  “I like to shop.”

“We only went to two dessert places.”

Wrapping her arms around Lena, Kara drew her in for a hug.  “There are things I like better than food.”

Lena laughed. “Am I supposed to guess?”

Pushing away slightly, Kara ran a hand along Lena’s cheek.  “You.”

“Oh...I…”  Lena nodded.  “Well, I’d say I much prefer your company to food also, but I hardly think that’s the same thing.”  Squeezing Kara’s hand once, Lena stepped away.

“Are you all right?”

“Hmmm?”  Turning back, Lena smiled.  “Fine.  I’m just a bit tired.  It was a long day.”

“You usually work long days.”

“Sitting, Kara.  We walked a lot.  I’m glad I was wearing flats.  I should probably go take these off anyway.”

Kara extended her arms.  “I could carry you upstairs.”

“No balconies here, Miss Danvers.  Anyway, your foster mother has been looking a bit askance at us today.  I think perhaps we should keep things in hand, don’t you?”

“Oh, okay.”  Adjusting her glasses, Kara said, “So, I was thinking about that interview with Oliver.”

“Concerns?”

“No, I’m actually a little bit excited about it.”

“Oh, looking forward to being on the other side of the steno pad?”

Kara laughed.  “Not really.  It’s more the subject.”

“The subject?” Lena asked as she headed into the living.

“You know...us.”  Kara followed and pointed back-and-forth between herself and Lena.  “I haven’t had a lot of dating success, but this feels like...Yeah, this feels like something.  This interview feels like it could really cement that something, you know?”

Waving a hand and giving a small laugh, Lena turned and said, “I don’t think cement will hold you in place, Supergirl.”

Grabbing Lena’s hand, Kara slid closer and held Lena’s hand to her chest.  “You cement me in place, Lena.  When you look at me; when you say my name; when your lips touch the skin on the back of my knuckles.”  Kara pulled Lena’s hand up to her face and kissed the other woman’s knuckles.  “My heart is flying into the stratosphere, but the rest of me is stuck to the ground same as any human because there is no place else I’d rather be than with you...forever.”

“...oh.”  Lena nodded repeatedly.  “Well, that’s quite a lot to take in.”

“Too much?”

“No just...a lot.”

“Is it bad?”

“Kara.”  Lena sighed, stroking the side of Kara’s hair, finding an errant strand that had pulled free of the braid.  “Nothing about you has ever been bad.  You’re the best thing to ever walk into my life.”

“Yeah.  Same.”  Kara nodded.

With a gentle laugh, Lena said, “Yeah?  Same?  Honestly, Kara.  How do you go from that earlier level of eloquence to ‘yeah, same’?”

Kara shrugged.  “Because English is hard, Lena.  I mean, golly!”

Her free hand over her mouth, Lena suppressed a laugh before dropping her hand again.  “You’re right.  You do an amazing job with it.  I’m even more impressed with all of your articles now that I know they’re written in your...eighteenth language?”

Kara nodded.  “So, when Oliver interviews us, what’s the plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“This us thing?  What are we telling him?”

Cocking an eyebrow, Lena tilted her head.  “Well, I thought—”

“I guess it depends on when we do the interview, right?”

“When?”

Kara nodded.  “You know, how long until Janković gets caught.  If it’s tomorrow as opposed to a month from now, not that it will take that long because Alex is really good at her job, but let’s say it is a month from now.”  Kara took a step closer to Lena and licked her lips.  “I mean, in a couple of weeks or a month, our relationship could be...different.”

“Different,” Lena repeated.

“Yeah, you know.”  Reaching out and taking one of Lena’s hands in her own, Kara said, “You and me here for a month, no L-Corp or Catco pulling at your attention, no Catco or disaster of the minute pulling at mine, things could be really different for us, don’t you think?”

“Right, right,” Lena said as she slowly nodded.  “Because it’s just you and me here without any outside influences because of Janković.”

“Well, and Eliza but—”

“But it would be different than if we were at National City.”

Kara shrugged, reaching out for Lena’s other hand.  “Maybe it could be better.”

Stepping back so suddenly she stumbled, Lena said, “I need to take off these shoes.  My feet are...Excuse me.”

“Oh, okay I…” Kara gave a little wave while Lena hurried upstairs.  “I’m going to grab some chocolate milk and cookies.  I’ll just be here, okay?”

Upstairs, heart hammering against her breastbone, Lena closed the door to Eliza’s bedroom and slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor.  Eyes closed, she did her best to calm herself.  Several slow breaths later, she pushed to her feet and grabbed her phone.  She played some music setting it to output through the speakers in Eliza’s room and made a call.

After just a few rings, there was an answer.   _“Hey, Lena.  How are you?”_

“Guilty,” Lena replied as she dropped down to sit on the bed.

_“I’m sorry, what?”_

“I’m drowning in guilt, Alex.  Your sister is being incredibly sweet, and I feel like the biggest liar in the galaxy.”

_“Uh, you do remember who your mother is right?”_

“Okay, number two then.  I don’t know if I can do this.”

_“Okay, talk to me.  What’s going on?”_

“Ugh.” Flopping back onto the bed, Lena laid her arm over her eyes.  “I’m lying to your sister.”

_“I know, Lena.  Give me details.  What has you unraveling?  I want to help you, so talk to me about what’s going on?”_

“She’s being amazing, and I can’t stand lying to her.”

_“That’s it?”_

Her arm snapping down, Lena asked, “Isn’t that enough?”

 _“It is, but this sounds like more.  I want to give you the right advice, so talk to me.”_ When there were just several moments of silence, Alex asked, _“Would you rather talk to Maggie?”_

“No I...No.  All right, so Kara and I agreed to give some reporter here an interview when we’re ready to leave town.  He seems fairly harmless.  At any rate, Kara was wondering what we’d be telling him.  She asked what I thought our relationship would be like when we left here.  She was saying that if we were here for a month things between us might be different, closer because it was just the two of us away from all of the pressures of our usual lives.”

 _“She may be right,”_ Alex admitted.

Sitting upright, Lena said, “Because I’m lying to her.  This relationship is built on a lie.  I...I can’t do this, Alex.  I have to break it off with her.”

_“Whoa!  Lena, stop, just stop!”_

“Well, I can’t keep dating her and lying to her.  If she had done that to me, I wouldn’t have forgiven her.  I can’t expect her to forgive me.  I have to—”

_“Lena, do not break up with Kara.  You two are crazy about each other.  You and Kara—”_

“Do you think I don’t know that!?” Lena said jumping to her feet.  “Do you think I don’t know how I feel about your sister?  Damn it, Alex, I have never felt like this about anyone in my life.  That’s why I have to do the right thing.”

_“And what’s the right thing?”_

“Well, you can’t date someone that you’re lying to.”

_“So, you’re saying you want to tell her the truth?”_

“I…” Slowly lowering herself to sit on the bed again, Lena asked, “Is that what I’m saying?”

_“I’m asking you, Lena, not telling you.  Look, let me tell you a quick story.  Do you know who Kara’s Aunt Astra is?”_

“She hasn’t mentioned her.”

_“She was Kara’s mother’s sister.  She was one of the few Kryptonians that survived the destruction of Krypton, and she and her husband tried to...well, that part isn’t important.  Kara and the DEO had to stop them.  I stopped Astra.  I killed her.”_

“You...how?”

_“A kryptonite sword.  I killed one of Kara’s only blood family members, but I did it to save J’onn, someone else who’s family to us but not by blood.”_

Nodding, Lena said, “Yes, Kara’s mentioned John a few times.”

_“Anyway, Kara was so distraught when she came to the fight and found her aunt dying that J’onn took the blame for killing Astra.  He told me that Kara had just lost her aunt.  She couldn’t lose her sister too.”_

“So, for her own good, you lied to her.”

 _“I did,”_ Alex admitted.   _“And I watched it rip J’onn and Kara apart.  It was awful, so I told her the truth.  You know what she did?_ ”

“Well, given the relationship you two have, I’d say it went well.”

_“You’d be right.  She was shocked, but she hugged me.  She loves me, and she understood why I did it.  She understood.  Kara is always the best of us.  She’s amazing.”_

“Are you telling me to continue to lie to her, Alex, because I—”

_“No, I’m telling you that I understand.   I lied to her once because I thought it was for the best, but when I saw it wasn’t, I told her the truth even though I was worried about the repercussions.  The truth was the right thing to do.  I could have been wrong, and it could have destroyed my relationship with my sister.  It wasn’t.  I can’t tell you what to do here, Lena.  You have a lot to lose by continuing to lie to her.”_

“There’s a lot to lose by telling her the truth.”

 _“There is.”_  Alex sighed.   _“You’re in an awful position, and I’m truly sorry I’ve put you here.”_

“It’s not your fault, Alex.  I must have run over the Pope’s cat in a prior life because karma has been a bitch to me in this one.”

_“Lena, look—”_

There was a knock on the door.

“Hold on.” Going to the door, Lena found Eliza outside, “Oh, do you need something from your room?”

“Actually, Kara is downstairs, and she’s pacing.  Is everything all right?”

“Fine.”

“Are you sure?”  Eliza pointed to the phone.  “She told me you came up here a few minutes ago just to take off your shoes.  She said you two were having a relationship talk and then…” Eyebrows high, Eliza waited.

“Oh, ah…”  Lena nodded and held the phone up slightly.  “It’s Alex.  I’m just getting an update on...things.”

“Things?”

“National City...things.”

“O-kay.  Everything’s all right?”

Putting the phone to her ear again, Lena said, “Alex I’ll call you later, all right?”

“Lena, look.  You should know—”

“Later,” Lena said, disconnecting the phone.  She turned off the music, taking a deep breath as she placed the phone on the dresser.  Turning with a smile plastered on her face, she said, “Let’s go see Kara.”

Downstairs, Kara was indeed pacing.  She snapped to attention when Eliza and Lena descended the stairs.

Smiling, Kara said, “Oh, there you are.  I was getting worried.  I could hear you moving around up there, but I...You still have your shoes on.”

“Yes, well...Kara, could we go somewhere and talk?”

“Like, out somewhere?”

“Maybe the back porch?”

“Oh, sure I…” Stiffening, Kara said, “Your phone is ringing.  It’s Alex.”

When Kara tried to step by her, Lena grabbed Kara’s wrist.  “Let it go to voicemail.”

“Kara, this could be important.  It could be…” Gaze flicking to Eliza and back again, Kara said, “You know.”

“I do,” Lena agreed with a nod.  “I just spoke to Alex.  Let’s go outside.”

“You just spoke to Alex?”

Lena nodded.

“But, why is she—?”

“Outside, Kara.  I can explain everything.”

Brows furrowed, Kara nodded and followed Lena toward the kitchen.  She glanced over her shoulder on the way, seeing the concern etched into her foster mother’s face.  Giving Eliza an encouraging smile, Kara entered the kitchen and then continued outside onto the porch.

“Okay, so do you have an update on Janković?”

Sighing, arms wrapped around herself, Lena nodded.

“I...I...I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?”  Head shaking, Kara approached Lena, trying to take the other woman’s hand.  “What’s the matter?”

Stepping away, Lena gave a nervous and humorless laugh, pulling at her ponytail.  “Me, what else?  Kara, I honestly thought I was doing what was best.  Can you try to believe that?  Can you believe I had good intentions at least?”

“Hey, relax, Lena.  I trust you.  I trust you completely.  What’s going on?”

“I…”  Sighing again, Lena nodded.  “This was the second time Reign nearly killed you, and it was awful.”

“It wasn’t as bad this time.  I was okay and—”

“No, you weren’t, Kara.  She could have killed you had she wanted to do so.  She let you live, and I don’t think that’s going to happen again.  That’s why I had to keep you away from her.”

“You...I don’t understand.”

Hands fidgeting together, Lena took a single step closer to Kara.  “I...I’m sorry.  I haven’t been completely honest with you.  I didn’t want you fighting her again.  I didn’t want you fighting her this last time.  I—”

“You tried to distract me,” Kara said, her head pulling back and her voice a bit flat.  “In your apartment, you tried to keep me from seeing Reign on the TV.”

“I did, but it was for your own good.”

As she stepped away, Kara said, “You were willing to let that man die to keep me from her.”

“I didn’t want him to die, Kara, but look what happened to you.  That man was the head of a drug ring selling drugs to local school children.  Was his life really worth yours?”

Pulling herself up to her full height, Kara said, “I don’t make that decision.”

“Apparently, you do.  When you go out to face Reign, you decide to die.  You decide to die for people who are killing innocents, and other innocents will die because you’re gone, Kara.  Think about that.”

Kara stood with her hands in fists and shaking at her sides.  “I don’t choose who has the right to live and die.  I’m not Reign.”

“I…”  Nodding, Lena said, “I know that.  I’m not saying you should.  I’m not saying what Reign is doing is right.  All I’m saying is there is gray in this world, and I don’t think you see it.”

“Right now I’m seeing things in pretty sharp contrast.”  Stepping within inches of Lena, Kara asked, “Is someone trying to kill you?”

Swallowing hard, Lena replied, “No.”

Eyes closed, Kara nodded once before meeting Lena’s gaze again.  “Tell me Alex just told you.  Tell me you just found out.”

“Kara…”

“Please, Lena, please tell me you **just** found out.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Because you wouldn’t lie to me?” Kara asked coolly.

Head shaking, Lena replied, “Because I’m done lying to you.”

“Oh, Rao.”  Kara nodded.  “So, it’s been a lie then?  Alex and you did all of this?”

“All of this?”

“I can’t believe you two,” Kara hissed out as she spun and headed back into the house.

“Kara, wait!”  Hurrying after Kara, Lena said, “Kara!  Kara, wait, you don’t understand!”

“Oh, I understand!  I understand you’ve been lying to me!”  She pushed the kitchen door in so hard the hinges broke.  “I feel like such a fool!”

Standing from her chair, Eliza asked, “What going on with you two?”

“Ask her!” Kara said as she wheeled around, pointing accusingly at Lena.  “No, don’t bother, Eliza.  You won’t get the truth anyway.  Just ask your daughter.  The two of them are in it together.”

“Alex?”

Kara nodded.  “Yup, and I’m just the stupid alien.  I bet you had a laugh at that, didn’t you, Lena?”

Arms crossed, Lena said, “Okay, well now you’re being ridiculous.”

Whipping off her glasses and tossing them to where they embedded in a couch cushion, Kara said, “Don’t call me ridiculous!”

Looking at the couch, Eliza said, “Kara Zor-El Danvers, you need to calm down right this minute.  Do you hear me, young lady?”

Holding out a hand to Kara, Lena said, “Kara, if you’d give me a moment to explain, I think—”

“I’m going out,” Kara said as she headed to the door.

“We have to be able to talk about this.  A relationship needs—”

“What relationship?” Kara said, her head snapping around.

Eyes wide and mouth agape, Lena didn’t reply.

“I’m going to...get some air,” Kara said.

“Kara, don’t walk out of here,” Eliza said.  “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but it’s not going to get resolved if you fly away from your fiancée.”

Eyes narrowing at Lena, Kara said, “She’s not my fiancée.”  Then she was out the front door, up into the sky, and away.

Pulling Kara’s glasses out of her couch, Eliza sighed.  “Well, that was highly mature.  Since you can’t fly away from me, care to tell me what that was all about?”

Hands folded together, Lena looked down at them and asked, “That depends, are you going to let me actually explain, or are you going to yell at me and storm off halfway through the explanation?”

With a chuckle, Eliza said, “Oh sweetheart, I’m too old and tired to storm off.  I could make us some tea and listen to you explain.  How does that sound?”

“Make it wine, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Oh, it’s that good a story, is it?”

“That depends.  Are you a whiskey drinker?”

Eyebrows raised, Eliza said, “Let’s start with the wine.  Maybe you’re forgetting that I was a single mother to Supergirl.  It takes quite a bit in the way of a story to tip me over into hard liquor.”

As Eliza left the room, Lena dropped down into a seat on the couch.  Playing with the hole that Kara’s glasses had left, Lena said to herself, “And I’m a Luthor.  Welcome to your tipping point, Eliza.”

 

<><> 

 

“You okay?”  Maggie squeezed Alex’s shoulder as she walked by.

Nodding, Alex stared at her phone that sat on the coffee table.  “Yeah, but Lena hasn’t answered any of my calls.  I left her three voicemails.  It’s been like twenty minutes.”

“Maybe everything is fine.”

Sighing, Alex leaned her head onto the back of the couch.  “If things were fine, she would have at least texted.  It’s just a question of what kind of disaster it is.  Is Kara upset that she was lied to, or is she crying because Lena just dumped her?”

“Or.” Leaning over the back of the couch, Maggie said, “Option number three.  Lena told Kara no one wanted her dead, and now they’re having crazy hot sex.”

Alex’s face scrunched up a bit but then relaxed.  “You think?”

Kissing Alex’s forehead, Maggie said, “That’s what we’d be doing.”

“Yeah, but that’s us.  That’s what we’re usually doing.”

Shrugging, Maggie headed into the kitchen.  “I’m a romantic.  I believe in love.”

“And sex.”

“I love sex.  Hey, you want a beer?” Maggie asked.

Turning from her seat on the couch, Alex responded, “Do you even know me?”

“You could say no.”  Pulling a second beer from the fridge, Maggie put them both on the counter and opened them.  “You know, try and spice up our relationship.”

“Sweetie, if I started refusing drinks, that’s not spicing things up.  That’s proof of some sort of alien take over.”  When her phone rang, Alex looked at the caller ID and smiled.  “Ah, speak of the devil.  It’s **Lena**.”  

“Lena?” Maggie asked.

Alex shook her head as she answered the phone, “Hey, Lena.”

_“Hey, how’s my future sister-in-law?”_

Alex laughed.  “Wow, you sound just like you.”

_“Well, I should hope so.  I’m really trying to sell this.  You weren’t kidding about the reporters, though.  They are all over the place.  Why do so many people want pictures of us?”_

“You’re newsworthy.”

_“Because they think we’re engaged?”_

“Hey, Lena Luthor is newsworthy just walking down the street.  Her getting engaged is a whole new level of newsworthy.  You are keeping the press occupied and providing an important community service.  It’s working well?”

_“They’re buying it, Alex.  No one has questioned it at all.”_

“Huh.”  Alex smiled up at Maggie when she got her beer.  “You may have a second job here if you want one.”

_“I like my first job.  It’s much lower profile.”_

“I bet this one pays really well.  You should consider it.  Just think about it when—”  

There was a loud noise, and Alex turned.  Outside her window was Kara.  The Kryptonian was scowling, ire painting her face.  Arms crossed and body tense, her body language clearly portrayed her anger.

As the smile fell off her face, Alex nodded.  “Oh, fuck.”

_“What’s wrong?”_

“Kara’s here.”

_“Kara’s there?  She’s in National City at your apartment?”_

“Yeah, she’s floating outside my window in her civvies, and she looks pissed.”

_“Uh-oh.  What do you want us to do?”_

“Uhhhh...I think you and J’onn should find someplace to get back into your usual human appearances, M’gann.  It looks like the jig is up.  Lena came clean with Kara.”

_“Okay, I’ll tell J’onn.  We’ll get out of here.  Call me when you know...something.”_

“I will.  Thanks again, M’gann.”

_“Sorry things didn’t go better, Alex.”_

“Yeah, me too.  Bye.”  Disconnecting, Alex put down the phone and her beer as she walked over to the window and opened it.  “Hey, Kar.  This is a surprise.  What’s up?”

“Don’t,” Kara said flatly as she entered the apartment.  “Don’t play any games with me, Alex.  I’m tired of being lied to.  I’m tired of having my feelings manipulated.  I’m just…” Arms crossed, she shook her head.  “I’m done.  I want the truth.  You got Lena to lie to me?”

“I…” Nodding, Alex said, “I did.”

“Rao.”  Sighing and dropping her head forward, Kara said, “I guess it’s what I deserve.”

“Kara no.”

“No, Alex.”  She met her sister’s gaze.  “I lied to her for so long, but we’d agreed not to lie to each other.  When we left National City, I thought I was trying to keep her safe, but I wasn’t.  She was lying to me the whole time.  She just did it because of Reign.  Even before we left the city, she was just lying to me to keep me away from Reign.  I guess now I know how she feels.”  Walking over to the couch, Kara slumped down, head in her hands.  “Our relationship is just two people who lie to each other.  It’s built on lies.”

There were several moments of silence, and then Maggie asked, “Kara, what exactly did Lena tell you?”

With a sigh of disgust, Kara looked up at Maggie and said, “That she and Alex cooked up some scheme to keep me away from Reign.”

“Okay.”  Maggie nodded once.  “That’s...sort of.  You know that Lena really cares about you, and she—”

Jumping to her feet, Kara’s hand struck through the air.  “Don’t.  Just don’t do that.  I’m not ready to hear about our friendship.  I can’t, Maggie, I just can’t.”

“Friends?”  Alex shook her head.  “Kar, that girl is crazy about you.”

“She lied to me, Alex!”

“For a day,” Alex said with a shrug.

“Wh...What?”

“More like eight hours,” Maggie added.

“Wait, what are you two talking about?  Lena said...She…” Brows furrowing, Kara’s eyes moved left and right.

“What did she say, Kara?” Alex asked.

“She said she didn’t want me fighting Reign, so she lied to me.  I asked her if she’d just spoken to you about Janković, and she said she hadn’t.  I...How long?”

“I talked to Lena this morning and told her we’d caught Janković,” Alex said.  “She wanted to tell you right away, but I convinced her not to.  We’re trying to find a way to take down Reign.  I wanted to keep you safe.  Lena called me maybe a half an hour ago.  She was feeling guilty about lying to you.  She said she couldn’t keep dating you and lying to you, so she was going to break up with you.”

“She what!?” Kara took two quick steps closer to her sister.

“I talked her out of it, told her that if she thought telling you the truth was the right thing to do she should just tell you the truth.  I guess she decided to do what she felt was right.”

Hand over her mouth, Kara backed up and sat on the arm of the loveseat.

“Are you okay?” Maggie asked.

“Oh, Rao.  I think I just dumped Lena.”

“What!?  Why you idiot?” Alex asked, slapping Kara’s arm.  “Ow!”

“I didn’t think we were actually dating.  I thought she was just pretending to keep me out of the city.  I thought—”

“You’re an idiot!  Get back to her!” Alex pointed at the window.

Nodding, Kara made her way back to the window.  “What do I say?”

“Just be honest, Kara,” Maggie advised.  “You two seem fine when you’re honest.  Ignore everyone else, and be honest with each other.”

“Yeah, okay.  Do you think she’ll take me back?  I was pretty mean to her.”

“Kara, just go.  This time listen to anything she wants to tell you.  Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.”

As Kara climbed out the window, Maggie said, “Oh, and Kara?”  When the Kryptonian turned, floating outside the window, Maggie added, “Remember this for years to come.  Listen to each other.  This relationship could be it.  This moment could be it.  Okay?”

“Yeah, thanks, Maggie.”  Kara smiled.  “Thanks, both of you.  I’m going to fix this.  It’s going to be okay.  Thanks.”

As her sister disappeared into the sky, Alex smiled, “Well, that wasn’t a total disaster.”  When Maggie nudged her arm repeatedly, Alex sighed.  “Just say it.”

“No, you.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Yeah, you do,” Maggie said in a sing-songy voice.

“Argh,” Alex moaned as she walked over to the table and grabbed her beer.  Taking a swig, she mumbled, “...supercorp.”

Laughing victoriously, Maggie grabbed her phone and shot off a text.

“What was that?” Alex asked.

“I just won $50 from Winn.”

“You bet against me?”

“Babe, I bet on love.”  Kissing Alex, she said, “What do you want to spend our $50 on?”

“Mouthwash so I can wash the taste of SuperCorp out of my mouth.  Blah, I said it again.”

 

<><> 

 

Each holding a mug, Eliza and Lena stepped onto the back porch.

“How long do you think she’ll be gone?” Lena asked.

“Oh, I expect she’ll be back fairly soon,” Eliza replied.  “She’s just clearing her head, but she’ll be ready to hear you out, and then she’ll come back, and you two will work things out.”

Sitting on the porch swing, Lena sighed.  “I wish I could be as optimistic as you are, Eliza.  Kara was furious.  I’ve never seen her like that.  What if she doesn’t come back?”

“Oh, please.  Kara loves you.  She’ll come back.”

“Eliza, Kara doesn’t love me.  You know that she and I—”

“Lena, I know what you told me, but I also know what I’ve seen between you two the last few days, and I know my daughter.  She’ll be back, and you two will work this out.  Trust me.”  Eliza took a seat next to Lena as she spoke.

Nodding, Lena took a sip of her tea and then stared into the contents of the mug.  “I’m so sorry, Eliza.  This lying, I wish it hadn’t happened and that instead—”

“Lena, enough.”  Squeezing Lena’s forearm, Eliza said, “You apologized.  I told you I’m not thrilled with the lying, but I understand your intentions.  As someone who’d do most anything to keep my girls safe, I understand.”

“Eliza, I only meant that I wish I hadn’t been lying to you when we met.  I wish that Kara had brought her girlfriend to meet her mother because that’s how I would have liked to have known you.  I respect you, and you’ve treated me so wonderfully.  I didn’t know people could parent like you do.”  Lena looked up, meeting Eliza’s gaze.  “When I say I’m sorry, I’m not just apologizing.  I’m expressing regret.”

“Come here,” Eliza said as she moved her arm to around Lena’s shoulders, pulling the girl in closer.

In the distance, the lens focused in on the two women.  Data scrolled across a display screen: _Race - Human, Gender - Female, Age- fifty-four, additional data...searching...Eliza Danvers of Midvale, California, PhD in bioengineering, no known alliance to the Vuldarians, threat level- minimal.  Race - Human, Gender - Female, Age - twenty-four, additional data...searching...Lena Luthor of National City, California, Masters Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics, no known alliance to the Vuldarians, threat level - still calculating, additional data needed.  Verify continued alert status...verified._

The data on the display was shut down, and the lens focused in on the two woman again as there was movement in the woods.  Suddenly, a figure dropped down from the sky a few feet from the house.  Hitting hard enough to kick up clouds of dirt, Kara stood staring at where Eliza and Lena sat on the porch swing.

Patting Lena’s shoulder, Eliza said, “Well, I’d say that’s my cue to leave.”

“Maybe you should—”

“Goodbye, girls,” Eliza said as she rose and ignored Lena’s request.  “I’ll be inside, upstairs, far away, where I can’t hear you.”

Looking over her shoulder as the door closed behind her, Lena said, “Subtle.”  Putting down her mug and nervously wiping her hands on her slacks, Lena took a deep breath as she rose and moved toward the gap in the porch railing.

As Kara walked over to meet Lena there, she spoke quickly, her words almost tumbling on top of each other, “I’m an idiot.  You’re awesome.  Please take me back.”

“Oh.”  Lena blinked several times.  “Oh, I didn’t expect—”

“Rao, that was stupid.  I practiced so many things in my head on the way over here, but then I saw you and blerg.”

“...blerg?”

“You know.”  Kara stuck her tongue way out of her mouth.

“You wanted to throw up?”

“What?  No.  I just...The words all just came tumbling out.  Nothing was going to be good enough anyway, so I went with honest.  Honestly, I was an idiot for not listening to you, and you are awesome.  Plus, I really, really want you to take me back.”  Stepping up onto the porch and closer to Lena, Kara said, “Please take me back?”

“I didn’t give you away.”

“Is that a no?”

“That’s a ‘you’re an idiot’.”

“Agreed.”  Stepping even closer, Kara took Lena’s hand.  “What about that thing where you didn’t give me away?  What does that mean?”

“What changed since you left?”

“I talked to Alex,” Kara admitted.

“You called your sister?”

“I flew there.”

“Oh.  Wow, go big or go home, huh?”

“Both.  I did both.”

Lena nodded.  “Valid.  So, Alex told you—”

“That you only found out about Janković this morning which I would have known if I’d given you a chance to talk.  That’s the part where I’m an idiot.”

“I see.  I’m sorry I lied to you, Kara.  We promised no more lying, and then I lied to you.  I…”  Lena shook her head.  “I don’t have any excuse.”

“Alex said you were trying to protect me.”

“I was, but that isn’t an excuse.  You’re an adult, and you make your own decisions.  I don’t have to like them.  I don’t like this one at all, but it’s your decision.”

“I lied to you for a long time, Lena.”

“Not while we were dating.”

“True,” Kara admitted.  “So, your lie was a bit more intense, and mine was a tiny, little bit longer.”

“A tiny little bit?”

Kara grinned.  “It’s difficult to measure.  Who’s counting?”

Despite the situation, Lena smiled a bit.

Encouraged, Kara continued.  “So you lied some, and I lied some.  How about we call it even?”

“We’d already gotten a clean slate.”

“A new clean slate then,” Kara suggested as she stepped closer, sliding her other hand onto Lena’s hip.  “Starting right now, we’ll be honest.  How does that sound?”

Glancing down to where Kara’s hand rested on her hip, Lena lifted an eyebrow.  “That sounds like an interesting proposition.”

“It could be.  Just you and me, no more lies or secrets, and no one trying to kill you.”  Kara smiled.

“Well…”

The smile falling off her face, Kara said, “Don’t tell me someone is trying to kill you.”

“Just the usual, you know the friends and family special,” Lena quipped.  “It’s just that no secrets comment.  There is something I feel like I should perhaps tell you.”

“A secret?”

“It’s...minor.”

“A minor secret?”

“Well, you told me your name so…” Lena shrugged.

“But, I know your name.  Don’t I?”

“When I came of age I had it changed so that I used my middle name for my first name.  It was an old family name, and my parents always called me by my middle name anyway, so…”

“Lena’s not your first name?”

Head shaking, Lena said, “No.”

“Shut the front door,” Kara said a bit breathy.  “I want to know.  Tell me.”

“You can never tell anyone.”

“I won’t.”

“Kara, I mean it.  My brother has tried to kill me.  My mother has framed me for a felony and left me for dead, but never have either of them invoked my birth name.  There are places so low even a Luthor will not stoop.  Do you understand?”

Eyes wide and gleaming, Kara whispered, “What is it?”

“Luthor Corp had the formula for synthetic kryptonite.  Do not make me find it, Kara Zor-El.  Do we understand each other?”

Kara nodded slowly.  “It better be truly awful because you’re really building this up.  I am sooooo curious now.”

Nodding, Lena took a deep breath.  “It’s...Lutessa.”

Blinking several times, Kara said, “What?”

“Yes, my name is was Lutessa Lena Luthor.  When I turned eighteen, I had it legally changed.  I no longer have a middle name, and Lena is now my first name, but on my adoption certificate, it says Lutessa Lena Luthor.  You can’t tell anyone.”

Grinning, Kara said, “I won’t...Lutessa.”

“Kara, I swear to God—”

“Oh, relax, Lutessa.”

“Argh, I will make you pay if you don’t—”

As Lena tried to turn away, Kara grabbed her around the waist with both hands and pulled her in until their bodies met.  “Hey, I’m just having fun.  I’m sorry, Lena.  No more, okay?”

“There better not be.  You take that secret to your grave.”

Looping her arms around Lena’s waist, Kara said, “So, am I forgiven for my earlier idiocy?”

As she ran her hands along Kara’s shoulders, Lena said, “I suppose.  I have a lot of future idiocy coming, don’t I?”

“Tons and tons,” Kara admitted.  “You’re a very lucky woman.”

“I’m thrilled.  So, no one’s trying to kill me.”

“Yeah, I noticed.”  Kara nodded several times.  “So, I don’t have to be here to protect you.  I can just be here with you.”

“Right, right.”  Lena also nodded.  “And all those boundaries?”

“There’s no real reason for them.”

“Oh.  All right then.”  Biting her lower lip, Lena ran one of her hands along the back of Kara’s neck, scratching lightly.

“So.”

“So.”

“I guess this means...I mean, if you wanted—”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, just kiss me already, Kara.”

Kara’s eyes widened, but she didn’t speak, and then they connected.  

The kiss was soft at first, a gentle touch of lips on lips.  Kara’s insistent fingers pulled Lena in all the closer, lifting her to tippy-toes as the urgency built.  Lena gasped, a puff of air across Kara’s lips, and then her tongue slipped out and traced the line of Kara’s mouth.  That invitation was all it took to grant entry.  Their mouths were crashing together in pressing need, their bodies packed so tightly together no space remained between them, and still, somehow that seemed too far apart.  Lena clung to Kara in rather desperate fashion, one hand gripped tightly to the back of the blonde’s neck and the other clinging to a flexing bicep.  Someone moaned.

The kiss only ended when Kara broke it to trace the line of Lena’s jaw with her mouth, to dot the soft skin under Lena’s ear with kisses, to explore the pulse point along Lena’s throat with an eager tongue.  Kiss after kiss was planted to be followed by soft nips.  Arms around Lena’s waist, Kara lifted the other woman fully off the ground.  One hand ran up to the back of Lena’s head, cradling it in place as Kara continued to paint the skin on Lena’s neck with her lips.

This time it was clearly Lena who moaned, “Oh...my...God...Kara.”  One hand clawing along Kara’s back while her other hand flexed against a strong neck, she gasped again.  Her legs twisting slightly in the air as she scraped the fabric of Kara’s jeans for purchase.  

In the blink of an eye, they’d turned around and covered some ten-foot span.  Kara had placed Lena to sit on the porch railing.  “Oh, Rao, your skin tastes amazing.  Why did we wait so long to do this?”  She kissed Lena full on the lips again before any answer could be given.

That kiss continued for perhaps a minute and then, the kiss not breaking and no intervening time seeming to have passed, they were on the porch swing.  Kara was sitting with Lena kneeling over her.

Breaking the kiss, Lena looked around in confusion for just a moment before meeting Kara’s gaze again.  “Damn, you’re fast.  This is a bit dizzying.”

“What?  I…”  Kara’s pupils were blown so wide, the color of her irises were hidden in the fading evening’s light.  She held up a hand, and just for a moment it moved so quickly it became a blur of motion.

One eyebrow raised as she watched the motion, Lena bit her lower lip.

“I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.”  Kara snapped both hands down to grasp the swing below her.  “I’ll slow down.  I’ll be gentle.  I’m sorry.”

“Kara.”  Brow furrowed, Lena moved forward and laid a chaste kiss on the other woman’s lips before leaning back again.  “I don’t want slow.  I don’t want gentle.  I want this.  I want you.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Kara argued.

“Oh, darling.  I trust you.  I trust us.  Do you trust me?”

“I do but…”

Taking Kara’s hands, Lena placed them on her own torso.  “Then please, don’t stop.  I’ve wanted this, wanted you, for too long.  Don’t stop, please?”

Nodding in response as Lena moved in for a not so chaste kiss this time, Kara ran her hands up the other woman’s torso and held her close, trusting in Lena and them even if not herself.  They kissed again, deeply, Lena’s tongue tracing a path around Kara’s mouth before disappearing within again.  Kara’s eyes flew open at the motion and then closed as Kara sighed heavily into the other woman’s mouth.  A shiver ran up Kara’s body and turned into a tremor, a vibration, longing left unmet displayed through her every atom.

Breaking the kiss, Lena asked, “What do you need?  Use your words.  Tell me.”

Kara panted, regaining her voice.  “Harder.”

“Harder?”

“I want to feel you.”  She grabbed Lena’s hands where they were touching her body and pressed them into her skin with a bit more force.  “Harder everything harder.”

With a slow nod, Lena tightened her grip on Kara, watching the other woman’s eyes widen in response.  Pressing another kiss to Kara’s lips, she sucked in that full, lower lip, catching it between her teeth and holding it tight.  She bit down with a bit more force than normal and flicked it with her tongue.  When the response was a bucking of hips and a moan, she redoubled her efforts.  Kara’s continued responses were just as gratifying.

 

<><> 

 

“Oh, Alexandra,” Eliza sighed unhappily into the phone as she sat on the bed in her room.  “What were you thinking?”

_“I was thinking they’re crazy about each other, but neither of them were willing to admit it.  I was thinking that I want my sister to be happy.”_

“So you pretended someone was trying to kill Lena?”

_“To be fair, Mom, someone is usually trying to kill Lena.  Someone did try to kill Lena just this week.  It’s totally par for the course.  It’s not like a pretend assassination with anyone else.  Lena is used to it.”_

With another sigh, Eliza said, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.  I raised you better than this, young lady.  I’m very disappointed in you.”

_“Oh.  I’m sorry, Mom.  Are you going to tell Kara?”_

“Absolutely not.”

_“Really?”_

“Of course not.”  Eliza smiled.  “You and Maggie started all of this, so you two are going to fix this.  You two are going to tell your sister and Lena.”

_“Oh.  Yeah, that makes sense.  I did try to tell them both today, but they’re not very good listeners.  I can call them later and—”_

“No.”

_“No?”_

“No, Alexandra.”

_“You keep full naming me.”_

“You keep deserving it,” Eliza countered.  “Now, you and Maggie get your butts up here and talk to Lena and Kara like adults.  They deserve to hear it face-to-face from you.”

_“We’re both working, Mom.”_

“Figure it out.”

_“I can talk to J’onn, but Maggie’s Lieutenant—”_

“Alexandra, figure it out.”

A small sigh came across the phone line.   _“Yes, Mom.”_

“Give me a call when you girls are heading down, and I’ll cook.”

_“Latkes?”_

“No.  No latkes for you.”

_“Oh.  I’m in a lot of trouble, huh?”_

“You’re getting grounded.”

_“But...I’m an adult living in another city with my fiancée.”_

“And?”

_“Uh...I’ll call before Maggie and I leave.”_

“Thank you.  I love you, Alex.”

 _“Love you too, Mom.”_  Disconnecting, Alex looked over at Maggie.  “We’re in a lot of trouble.”

“With your mom?”

Alex nodded.  “We both need to get out of work and head to Midvale so we can tell Kara and Lena what we did.”

“Ah, well I’m kind of stuck at work so—”

“I tried that.  Mom pulled rank on us.”

Tilting her head to the side, Maggie asked, “What does that mean?”

“She said we had to figure it out and that we’re grounded.”

“But...she can’t ground us.  We’re grown-ups.”

Standing, Alex replied, “You are welcome to have that discussion with her in Midvale after you figure out how you’re getting out of work for a few days.  Oh, also, she’s disappointed in us.”

Maggie winced.  “Eliza’s disappointed in us?”

Grinning back at Maggie, Alex asked, “Hurts, doesn’t it?”

“A lot.  She actually used the word disappointed?”

“Yup, and she used my full name.  You can expect to hear yours.”

Maggie winced.  Staring at her hands as Alex left the room, she said, “I’d rather hear Margarite.”

 

<><> 

 

“Okay, I think we finally lost the paparazzi.”

“Good,” M’gann said as she wrapped her arms around J’onn’s neck.  “Because I don’t think I could kiss you if you looked like this.”

“Why?  All humans pretty much look the same, don’t you think?”

“J’onn.”  Smiling, M’gann tried to push away from him playfully, but he pulled her close again.  “That’s so incredibly racist.  How could you say that?”

He laughed.  “What?  It’s true, don’t you think?”

“Well...kind of.  It’s still not nice to say.”  She wrapped her arms around his neck again.  “There are subtle differences in their forms, but they’re basically irrelevant.  The sad thing is that they think the way they look is what sets them apart or brings them together, when it’s…”  Smile growing, she pressed her forehead to his.  “This.”

He sighed happily.  “This.”

No words uttered, they stood swaying in silent communication.  About two minutes had passed when the sounds of clapping finally distracted them from their hushed exchange.  As they broke apart, they saw several people coming to surround them and also one very familiar face.

“Henshaw,” J’onn snarled.

“Miss Danvers,” Hank Henshaw replied just as pleasantly.  He waved a hand to direct people to circle around the couple.  “Miss Luthor, I’m here to collect you.  Your little...tryst has not gone unnoticed.  Your mother would like a word with you.”

“Well, she can kiss my—” When J’onn squeezed her hand, M’gann considered her words, then whispered to J’onn.  “Actually, I like that response.  Can I just go with that?”

“Miss Luthor, right now this is just a request.  Let’s not make this a demand,” Henshaw said.

“Now can I say it?” M’gann asked J’onn.

“She’s not going anywhere with you,” J’onn said, stepping between M’gann and Henshaw.

“I don’t think you want to do that, Miss Danvers.  Miss Luthor is in no danger here.  Her mother merely wants to speak with her, and has sent us to retrieve her.  Mrs. Luthor doesn’t think her daughter is aware of the company she’s keeping.”  Hank gestured toward J’onn who was wearing Kara’s form.  “A woman of Miss Luthor’s superior breeding needs to make better choices.”

“You’re disgusting,” J’onn said.

“I belong here.  I…” Gaze flashing over to M’gann, Henshaw ticked his head back.  “I’m not here to fight with you, Miss Danvers, not this time.  I’m here to bring Miss Luthor to see her mother.  Let’s not escalate this with a lady present.”

“There are two ladies present,” M’gann corrected.

“Not from where I’m standing,” Henshaw said.

As M’gann took several hurried steps past him, J’onn reached for her.  “M’g...Lena!  Stay away from him!”

“Henshaw, do let my mother know I’m refusing her invitation.  I have a good life with good people here in National City, and I don’t need the likes of her around me.  Let her know I’ve made my choice.  I would have thought having her arrested was proof enough of that, but maybe she needs to hear it again.  I’m done with her.  Goodbye, Mr. Henshaw.”

“Miss Luthor, you’re making a mistake.  That...that...person isn’t who—”

“You mean Kara?” M’gann smiled.  “I know Kara better than I’ve ever known anyone in my life, and I’m happy with her.”

“You wouldn’t be if you really knew her.”

“Oh, but I do.”  Smile growing, M’gann added, “And I’m **super** happy with her.”

Taking a step back, eyes widening, Henshaw nodded.  “Well, that does change matters.”  As he pulled a small box out of his pocket, both M’gann and J’onn tensed, but then Henshaw opened it to reveal a glowing green rock.  He stood there, smiling.

At first, nothing happened, and then J’onn said, “Oh!  Argh!”  He fell to the ground, moaning, one arm stretched out.

“What’s wrong!?” M’gann fell to her knees near J’onn, her eyes glowing red, but only he could see that as she looked down at him.

“K-k-kryptonite,” J’onn stuttered.   _“We should play along.  Let’s see where this goes.  We might get a lead on Cadmus.”_

 _“Oh, all right,”_ she thought back to him, then turned to Henshaw, her eyes a normal green again.  “You monster!  Don’t hurt her!”

“That’s up to you, Miss Luthor.  Your mother’s instructions were that neither of you were to be hurt so long as you complied.  Now, will you come along quietly?”

Sniffling, a lone tear running down her cheek, M’gann looked down at J’onn again.  “I’ll do anything you want so long as you don’t hurt her.”

 _“Wow, you’re good,”_ J’onn communicated.   _“You really have her down.  Where’d you learn that?”_

_“Youtube.”_


	20. Occam's Razor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Folks, sorry I've been MIA on this for a bit. I had a bit of an accident a few weeks back. I'm okay, but I gave myself a concussion and broke my zygomatic bone. It's been achy, but I'm good. My cat got sick right around the same time. I spent nearly two weeks spoon-feeding him chicken baby food. He passed away on Friday. That was tough.
> 
> Anyway, the past few weeks have been slow on the writing front, but I'm back. I appreciate your patience. I hope you enjoy this next installment of this comedy of errors. Keep smiling and laughing folks.
> 
> Peace - D.G.

Sitting in the back of the towncar with a Cadmus goon on either side, M’gann had her arms crossed, her legs crossed with one foot tapping, her back straight, her chin thrust out, and her best Lena Luthor Glare ™ in place.  While another goon drove, Hank Henshaw rode shotgun.

They hit a bump, and she snapped, “Be careful!  Kara’s sensitive right now.”  Reaching her mind out to where J’onn was stowed in the trunk, she asked, _“How are you doing back there?”_

_“They could have at least thrown down a blanket back here.  Is he aiming for potholes?”_

_“I think he’s just a bad driver, but it’s possible.  They’re not fond of aliens.”_

_“Well, then they should love you, Miss Luthor.”_

_“Don’t get sarcastic with me, J’onn.  This wasn’t my idea.  We could have just flown away or at least beaten these guys up and taken them back to the DEO.  You were the one who suggested we see where they took us.”_ She sighed loudly, squirming a bit in her seat.

 _“To Lillian Luthor, I think.  This bit of indignity will be...”_ As they hit another pothole, he grunted from the trunk.   _“Okay, this has to be on purpose.  Our city’s budget isn’t that bad, is it?”_

 _“I don’t know.  I fly everywhere.”_  Clearing her throat, she leaned forward.  “Are you aiming for the potholes?  You’re going to give us a flat tire.  Watch where you’re going.”

“You know, Miss Luthor, none of this had to be necessary.  Your mother was very upset with your life choices of late,” Hank informed her.

“My mother was upset with my life,” M’gann retorted.  “Since the day I was born, I’ve been nothing but a disappointment to my mother.  Why change a formula that’s been such a success to date?”

“You have potential, Miss Luthor.  You and your mother have had a difficult past, but she’d be willing to overlook all of that and welcome you back into the fold.  You have an incredible mind.  Join Cadmus, and you can save the world.”

“From aliens?”  M’gann smiled.  “But I like them.  You see, Mr. Henshaw, I find humans to be so…”  She looked at the guards on her left and right.  “...pedestrian.  I’m more of a free flying spirit.  I don’t want to be tied down with anything as ordinary as what you have to offer here.”

Leaning between the front seats, Hank glared at her.  “You’re making a huge mistake.  Your mother is a patient woman, but even she will run out of patience with you eventually.  What do you think will happen then?”

As she leaned closer to him in return, M’gann replied, “You’re not bad looking, Mr. Henshaw.  You know, for a human.  You have a face I could get used to, I suppose.”

_“M’gann, be careful.”_

_“Relax, J’onn, I’m just having some fun with him.  You’re just upset that you’re stuck in the trunk while I get to play with your old pal Hank.  You know, you could have been Lena.  Hey, if they lock us up somewhere together and aren’t watching us, want to switch?”_

_“M’gann, this isn’t a game.  This is serious work.”_

_“Work can be fun too, you know.”_

_“Not my work.  My work is life and death.”_

Sighing again, she leaned back in her seat. _“From now on I don’t want to do your work things.  From now on you get to visit me at work instead.  The bar is much more fun than the DEO.”_

_“Agreed.  Now, play nicely with Henshaw until we can find out where Lillian Luthor is.  Then I’ll call for backup.”_

Plastering a smile on her face, M’gann leaned forward a bit.  “All right, Mr. Henshaw, consider me intimidated.  Tell me why my future would be better under Cadmus.”

 

<><> 

 

Lying on the porch swing with Lena’s body pressed below hers, Kara barely noticed as the piece of wood her hand was wrapped around groaned in complaint.  Her other hand slid further up Lena’s torso, under the woman’s shirt, stopping at the underside of the woman’s bra.  Each word, muttering, murmur was uttered into the other’s mouth until their lips parted, Kara tattooing kisses along Lena’s neck.

Her hands underneath Kara’s shirt, fingernails digging at the other woman’s flesh though not scoring, Lena pushed her head back.  “Oh, my God, Kara.  I’ve wanted this for so long.  I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“Mmm-hmm.  Yeah.  Same.”  Tongue pressed against Lena’s pulse point, Kara flicked quickly making the other woman squirm underneath her.

“Fucking-A!”  Grabbing Kara by the back of the head, Lena pulled the other woman’s head back only to kiss her again.  It was long and deep, but hurried and hungry as they seemed intent on consuming each other.  When they broke apart, both panting, Lena said, “Too many fucking clothes.”

Eyes wide and licking her lips, Kara asked, “You want to…?”

Green eyes staring intently, Lena asked, “You don’t?”

“I do,” Kara replied, immediately.  “Rao on high, I do.  I really, really, really do.  Are you sure?”

“Months ago.”

They went from staring to a flurry of action.  Knees and elbows jostled, hands pulled at clothing, and feet pushed and wiggled.  Kara levered herself up and pulled off her shirt, as Lena sat up somewhat and tried to do the same.  She was less than successful and had to stop to unbutton it.  When Kara tried to help, at least one button went flying off into the night.

Watching it disappear, Kara looked back at Lena.  “Oops.  That was probably expensive.”

“I’ll buy a new shirt.  I’ll buy a hundred new shirts,” she continued as she tugged it off, grunting when the cuff got stuck on her hand and finally spiking it to the ground with finality.  “I’ll buy the company that makes the shirt.”

“Good call.  We might go through a lot of shirts.”

Leaning back on the bench, Lena raised an eyebrow.  “Promise?”

Allowing her gaze to roam up and down Lena’s torso, Kara leaned forward to cover the other woman with her body again.  “If you keep putting shirts back on, yes.”

Running her hands up and down Kara’s back, Lena said, “God, your skin is so hot.  Is your skin always this hot?”

Kissing along Lena’s jaw, Kara replied, “Yeah, I run hot.  Is this okay?  Do you want me to stop?”

“Don’t stop.  I don’t want you to stop.”

“Okay, okay.  I won’t.”  As Lena’s hands ran down her back, and the other woman bit down on her neck, Kara moaned.  “Oh, Rao, don’t stop.  Don’t stop.”  Stiffening, she grabbed Lena’s hand.  “We have to stop.”

Blinking in confusion, Lena asked, “What?  Why?”

“Eliza’s coming.”

“Well, good for her.”

“...what?  No, I mean she’s coming down the stairs and calling our names.”

“Oh!  Oh... fuck!”

“Yeah... that,” Kara grumbled as she scrambled off of Lena and grabbed her shirt from the floor.  She pulled it on and began to look around while straightening her shirt.

Putting her shirt back into place with a bit of a struggle, Lena hastily pulled the tie out that barely held her ponytail in place.  She combed through her hair with her fingers before putting the tie back in her hair.  Looking over at Kara, she asked, “What are you doing?”

“I can’t find my glasses,” Kara replied.

“You weren’t wearing them.”

“I wasn’t?”

“No, you left them in the couch when you left.”

“ **In** the couch?”

“Yes, **in** the couch.  Your temper tantrum left quite the impression in the furniture.”

Before Kara could reply, the back door swung open and they both turned quickly.

“Girls, come inside,” Eliza directed.  “We need to talk.”

Kara nodded rapidly, her pupils still blown wide and her heart hammering.

Lena, on the other hand, made a noise somewhere between affirmation and a grumble and then mumbled, “Nothing good ever started with that sentence.”

In the living room, Eliza paced.  “Girls, I spoke to Alex and…” Looking up, Eliza studied Kara and Lena.  Hands rubbing together in a spill of nerves, Kara blinked rapidly, weight shifting from foot to foot.  Lena stood with one arm down and the other wrapped around her torso, body language tight and even the woman’s features tense.  Grabbing the tissue box, Eliza approached the two younger women and held it out.  “Here.”

Shaking her head, Kara said, “I’m good.”

Lena merely shrugged.

With an eye roll and a sigh that held a note of impatience, Eliza dropped the tissue box on the coffee table and pulled out two tissues, bringing one over to each girl.  “Here, fix your faces... and your necks.”

The young women glanced at each other then, simultaneously, turned back to gape.  While Lena inhaled sharply, Kara blushed.  They each, in turn, took the offered tissue and wiped at their mouths.  Once done, they had to attempt to clean lipstick from each other’s necks.  They reached out, straightening the other woman’s shirt a bit, trying to restore everything to a semblance of order.

As Kara began to fumble with Lena’s shirt buttons, undoing and redoing them, Lena grabbed the woman’s hands to still them.  “What the hell are you doing?”

“Your shirt’s misbuttoned.”

“Oh, my God.”  Forehead on Kara’s shoulder as she dropped her head forward, Lena said, “Do it.  Take revenge for what my brother did to your cousin.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lifting her head to meet Kara’s gaze, Lena explained, “Kill me now before I die of embarrassment.”

Glancing over at Eliza, Kara replied, “No, we face this together and die together.  You don’t get to take the easy way out, Luthor.”

Lena grumbled as she fixed the remaining buttons on her shirt, hands paused as she took note of the missing one from their earlier fit of passion.  “Some friend you turned out to me.  I wish my mother were here.  She’d kill me.”

Kara chuckled, and a bit of the tension in the room was defused.  Finally, both younger women were able to turn and face Eliza.  They looked, if not entirely kept, much better put together.

“As I was saying, I just got off the phone with Alex, and she told me everything.”

“Everything?” Kara asked.

“Everything,” Eliza confirmed.

“So, when you say everything…”  Kara tried to fiddle with her glass, finding only air.

“She told me that you two aren’t engaged, that you weren’t dating.  She told me that you were just pretending because…” Eliza paused, choosing her next words carefully. “Because, Kara, you were trying to protect Lena as you always do.  Thinking it made sense to act as her girlfriend in order to stand between her and a potential hitman, you did so.  Then, when things became more potentially dangerous in National City, you two came here.  Does that sound about right?”

“Well, yeah,” Kara replied rubbing the back of her neck.  “Funny thing about pretending to date though.  It got really real.”

“I’ve noticed,” Eliza said dryly, as she crossed her arms.

“No, like—” Kara paused, looking down with a smile when Lena took her hand.  She raised her head and met Eliza’s gaze head-on.  “We’re together.”

“For how long?”

Lena spoke up.  “Actually, we’ve been dating for quite a while, Eliza.”

“That’s not what Alex said.”

“Oh, we didn’t know,” Kara explained.

“You didn’t know.”

Kara nodded.

“What does that mean?”

“You see—”

“Kara, please.”  Lena held up a hand.  “You’re amazing, but before this goes down a rabbit hole from which none of us can recover, please allow me.”  Stepping forward, Lena gestured toward the couch, and the three women all sat while they spoke.  “You see, Eliza, Kara and I have been dating for some time, but we just didn’t admit it to ourselves or each other.  We’ve been going out on dates, staying in on dates, doing everything but the more intimate aspects of dates together.”

“Well, we’d snuggle and sometimes fall asleep together on the couch,” Kara added.

“That’s true,” Lena admitted.  “We were basically dating, scheduling it regularly several times a week, and though I can’t speak for Kara, I wasn’t doing this or anything I called dating with anyone else.”

“Me neither,” Kara immediately said as she took Lena’s hand.

“So you see, Eliza, we have been dating for some time.  The people to whom we’ve been lying are ourselves.  We finally got honest.”

“Yeah, darn liar selves.  I’m mad at me.”  Kara smiled.  “I forgive me though because I finally told you the truth, and that means telling me the truth too.  I was just... scared.  I’m sorry I lied to you for so long about everything, Lena.”

“No more apologies,” Lena replied as she scooted the inch over to be closer to Kara.  “What matters now is there are no more lies between us, and we won’t lie about anything else again.  Agreed?”

“Yeah, definitely.  Agreed.”

As the girls leaned into each other, Eliza cleared her throat.  “Well, that’s all very well and good, but I do think we need to clear the air about a few things still.”

“Uh, like what?” Kara asked.

“You said you girls finally got honest about dating, and that it got real.  Obviously it…” Eliza waved a hand vaguely in front of the two younger women, causing them both to blush a bit.  “Yes, that.  How long ago did you verbalize to each other that you’re dating?”

“Well..” Gaze shifting over to meeting Lena’s, Kara swallowed hard.

Patting Kara’s hand, Lena squared her shoulders and said, “Allow me.  We’ve been dancing up to and away from this line for the better part of two weeks now, Eliza, but officially we used the word dating yesterday.”

“Yesterday.  I... see.  So not only are you not engaged, but when you came here and told me you were dating, you lied.”

“For a good cause,” Kara hurried to add.

“Kara, I understand the facade for the public’s sake, but you lied to me, why?”

“I... Eliza, there was cake and then I…”  Shaking her head, Kara merely shrugged.

"Oh, girls.  How could you?"

“Verbatim, that was verbatim,” Kara whispered as she tucked her head in toward Lena.

“Eliza, it wasn’t Kara’s fault.”

“Lena, don’t,” Kara said.

Lena held up her hand.  “Kara, it’s all right.  I’m not letting you take the blame for this.  The truth is, Kara and I had agreed to tell you the truth, the whole truth.  We’d agreed to tell you that we weren’t engaged or even dating.  Then you said how our being together, us beating the odds despite our families, was the best present you could have gotten, and I opened my mouth, and... lied.  I lied, and one lie became many.  I went on and on about that ring for Kara and forced her to either call me a liar in front of you or come up with something just as outrageous to keep up with my lie.  It was all me, Eliza.  Kara wanted to tell you the truth, but I forced her hand, and she went along with it to keep from humiliating me.”

Watching Lena critically, Eliza turned her gaze on Kara.  “Is this true?”

“Mostly.”

“Kara, that’s what happened,” Lena said.

“Oh, it’s what happened, but it’s only mostly true,” Kara clarified.  “See, I agreed to tell you the truth, Eliza, but I didn’t want to because that meant calling a lie a lie and not the truth, and in truth, I wanted to be lying, well, not lying but telling you the truth and having it not be a lie when I said a lie.  I wanted to be dating Lena, so I wanted a lie to be the truth, not a lie which meant there was no truth for us not to tell you we were lying about.  Then, when we lied, and everything was going so well, that felt like the truth, not a lie, so I thought maybe we wouldn’t have to tell you the truth because the lie would be the truth, not a lie so there would be no lie to tell you the truth about.  Now the lie is the truth, so where’s the lie?”

Squinting, Eliza looked over at Lena.  “Did you get that?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Well, it’s official.  If you speak Kryptonian babble, you get to keep her.”

Gasping, Kara grabbed Lena and pulled her close while smiling.  In turn, Lena bit her lip while ducking her head to try and conceal her own shy smile.

“Oh, don’t be so excited you two.  I’m still disappointed in you.”

“Oh, disappointed,” Lena mumbled.  

“I warned you,” Kara said.

Lena nodded.  “A bullet would be much better.”

“However, I understand you didn’t have any choice in getting into this situation.  It wasn’t your doing, and you had no ill intentions.”  Standing, Eliza held out her arms.  “Come here both of you.”  As the girls rose and come over to her, Eliza hugged them both tightly and kissed them both on the forehead.  “You are both forgiven, but no more lying.”

“Yes ma’am,” Kara said.

“We are!?” Lena asked.

“Of course.”  Eliza squeezed Lena’s shoulder.  “That’s what family does.  We forgive each other.  People make mistakes, and we forgive each other because we love each other.  You two should both remember that, both of you.  Kara, Lena, both of you remember how important forgiveness is to a successful and loving family.  Do you hear me?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, uh, yeah.  What does—?”

“Good.”  Stepping back, Eliza smiled.  “Now, Alex and Maggie are on their way up to spend time with us for the holidays.”

Lena and Kara shared a look of surprise before Kara said, “Alex didn’t mention that.  Are you sure?”

“I just got off the phone with her while you girls were... outside.  Yes, they’re on their way here, and we’ll all spend some time together being a loving and forgiving family.  All right?”

“Forgiving?  Eliza, what—?”

Speaking over Kara, Eliza said, “And another thing, since you two just started dating yesterday, I’m taking my bed back.”

Stepping close to her foster mother, Kara said, “Eliza, we’re adults.  We’re two grown women.  Don’t you think Lena and I can decide what we’re ready to do?”

“Absolutely, in National City, you two can do whatever you want.  While you’re under my roof, you’ll be in separate beds.”

“But... there’s only one other bed,” Lena reminded Eliza.

“Because Kara broke it,” Eliza replied with a kind smile as she patted Kara’s arm.  “I suppose that means one of you will be sleeping on the couch.  Do you want to start bickering about it now, or will you flip a coin?”

“We could get a hotel room,” Lena suggested.

“You’re going to leave before Christmas and leave me alone?” Eliza asked, her tone leading.

“Ah... no?” Lena replied.

“Good.  I’m looking forward to having all of my girls home for Christmas.  Now, I’m going to move my things back to my room.  Whoever is staying in Kara’s old room might want to do the same.”  Eliza was a few steps up the staircase when she stopped and said, “Oh, and flip over that one couch cushion.  Kara managed to break that too.”

When Eliza was gone from sight, Lena groaned and slumped onto the couch.

“Hey, are you all right?” Kara asked as she sat next to the other woman.

“Yes, I just can’t believe that we’ve been... I feel like a teenager again except back then I didn’t care if my mother caught me with some girl.  I knew she’d confiscate my credit cards, maybe take the keys to my car, but it would be worth it to upset her.  Disappointing Eliza, however…”

“Yeah, I know.”  Taking Lena’s hand, she said, “We’ve waited this long, right?”

“Right, right... right.”  Lena sighed.  “Are you as horny as I am?”

“Oh, Rao, yes!”  Kara jetted forward so quickly, she had Lena pressed back into the corner of the couch in between two heartbeats.  “I can’t wait to get out of here and get you... sorry... sorry.”  She sat back, taking Lena’s hand again and helping the other woman sit upright.  “I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be.  That was... hot.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yes.  Keep that in mind for later.  I certainly will.”

“Heh heh.  Sooo, Eliza said my sister and Maggie would be here soon.  That’s kind of surprising, huh?”

Lena shrugged.  “I don’t think so.  It’s the holidays, and with Janković captured, it’s probably pretty quiet.  Plus, Alex is injured.”

“Oh, true.  Yeah, she should probably be resting up.  Maybe J’onn is forcing her to take some time off.”

“You think so?”

Smiling, Kara replied, “Sure, I bet J’onn’s got everything well in hand in National City.”

 

<><> 

 

When the car unloaded at a small airport that looked largely deserted, the people in the SUV behind them pulled J’onn out of the trunk.  He dangled from their arms, and they dragged him inside one of the hangers.  M’gann was escorted between armed guards while Henshaw led the way.  They passed dozens of armed guards as they went.  

M’gann and J’onn were split up almost immediately upon entering the building, and she reached out to him. _“J’onn, should I be concerned about this?”_

_“Not so long as we’re smart.  Henshaw is the only one here that can do anything to us, and we outnumber him two to one.  So long as they don’t know who we are, and they want to keep you in their good graces, we’ll both be fine.”_

_“All right, but if you’re in any real danger, I expect you to let me know.”_

_“You’re so protective,”_ He thought back at her, the warmth emanating from his mind.

_“And I will protect you.  Henshaw may have faced you before, Mr. Martian, but he’s never faced off against Miss Martian.  I’m a force to be reckoned with.”_

_“Oh, I know it.”_

With an internal nod, M’gann turned to Henshaw and asked, “Where are you taking her?”

“Don’t be concerned, Miss Luthor.  Your mother’s instructions were clear.  So long as you cooperate, the alien was to be captured and brought back here but not hurt... yet.”

“Yet?” M’gann asked, one eyebrow raised.  “What does that mean?”

“That decision isn’t mine.  If it were, the alien wouldn’t have made it out of the park.  I would have ripped her apart with my bare hands.”  Hands in fists, his face strained, and the tendons stood out at his neck.

“You’re a horrible man, aren’t you, Mr. Henshaw?”

“Perhaps, but I am a man, and this is my planet.  I belong here, and I will protect this world from the likes of that **thing**.  Don’t you ever forget that.”  He ended his statement with a wavering finger pointed at M’gann’s face.

Head tilting to the side, M’gann asked, “Is that a threat, Mr. Henshaw?”

“Yes.”  He grinned.

After studying Henshaw for a moment, M’gann replied, “Remove your finger from my face, Mr. Henshaw, if you want to keep it.  That’s not a threat.  It’s a promise, and Luthors keep their promises.”  After a few seconds of staring him down, unsurprisingly, the finger was withdrawn.

They entered an office area off of the main hanger.  It had several computers set up in it, and there were two obvious Cadmus thugs manning systems.  Another stood off to the side with an automatic weapon slung across his body.  All of them were casual in their manner, as if they had nothing to fear.  Ignorance was bliss.

“So, where is she?” M’gann asked.

“Anxious for a family reunion?” Henshaw jeered back.

“Anxious to get this over with and find out exactly what she’s up to this time.  You know, perhaps we could avoid future kidnappings if I gave her a form letter so she could just let me know what she wants in advance, and I could let her know if I’m interested.  You know, like a ‘yes or no’ type of thing.”  Smiling, M’gann held out one finger and flicked her wrist about as she mocked marking things off mid-air.  “There could be checkboxes next to sinister, diabolical, genocidal, world domineering, birthday…”  Pausing and smile growing, she added, “What am I thinking?  We don’t need that last one.”

Eyes narrow and mouth tight, Henshaw replied, “Why would she?  It’s not like she was there for your actual birth.  That would make you her actual child.”

_“Wow, he is a complete asshole.”_

_“Easy, M’gann.”_

_“No, really.  This is how the people who want to get Lena on their good side treat her?  Asshole.”_  Clearing her throat and stalking up to Henshaw, M’gann stopped just a few feet back from him.  “Tell me, Mr. Henshaw, what day do you celebrate your birth on?  Is it the original one from when your mother Echidna gave birth to you?”

“My mother’s name wasn’t—”

“Or do you base it on the date stamped next to ‘Made in Taiwan’ on your factory installed bits?  Hmmm?  No, Mr. Henshaw, not only are you not human anymore, you’re not even local.”

Mouth in an angry sneer, Henshaw grabbed M’gann tightly by the upper arms.  “I have no patience for you or the company you keep.  Watch your mouth!”

“My, my.  Someone’s into... rough stuff,” M’gann drawled as she lifted an eyebrow.

_“I don’t like this, M’gann.  Stop antagonizing, him.  He’s dangerous.”_

_“He’s arrogant, and he underestimates me, J’onn.  Anyway, he has no intention of hurting Lena, and he’s no real threat to me.”_

_“If he knew who you were, he’d love to hurt you.”_

_“Well the feeling’s mutual, and I do know who he is.”_  Smiling again, M’gann said, “Tell me, Mr. Henshaw, is this why my mother keeps you around?”

“Enough, Lena.”

Head turning toward the voice of a woman entering the room, M’gann was only aware in retrospect of the clicking of heels that had been growing closer.  There, in all of her six-feet of glory, came Lillian Luthor.  Dressed all in black, her blonde hair pulled back into a neat bun, the woman looked as if she could have been entering a boardroom and not coming to meet her recently kidnapped daughter.  She pulled off black, leather gloves one finger at a time, handing each glove off to another woman who stood to her left and a step behind her.  Once the gloves and coat had been shed, that was the first time Lillian deigned to make eye contact with M’gann.

“Lillian Luthor,” M’gann said breathlessly.

“Mom would have been nice, but I’d settle for your usual disapproving ‘Mother’ with an eye roll thrown in for full effect.”

_“She’s there?”_

_“In the flesh,”_ M’gann thought back.   _“She’s tall for a human female.  Quite an air of power and confidence coming off of her.  I’m not saying I’m ready to sign up, but I can see why she lulls the masses.  She has an effect.”_

_“Unfortunately true.”_

_“What do you want me to do?”_

_“Keep her busy.  I’ll get us back up.”_

_“O-kay.”_  Clearing her throat, M’gann said, “Well, I’d say it’s nice to see you, Mother, but…” She looked over at Henshaw who had stepped to the side but still held her firmly with one hand, and she tilted her head and gave a little sideways nod at him.

“Hmmm... Well, I’m sure you were antagonizing him, Lena.”  However, Lillian did gesture toward Henshaw who stepped away with only a small grumble.

“I don’t think he likes my choice of companions.  I can’t imagine why.”

“Really, Lena?”  Shaking her head, Lillian said, “I have confirmation Kara was brought back here.  What were you thinking, getting involved with an alien?  You know what her cousin did to your brother.”

“I think you have it backward, Mother.  It’s what my brother did to her cousin.”

“Your brother is a great man.  He’s a genius.”

“He’s a lunatic, and he’s in jail for a reason,” M’gann shot back.

Jaw tight, Lillian stared M’gann down for several moments before working some of the tension from her shoulders.  “I didn’t bring you here to fight with you.”

“Yet you kidnapped me.”

“If I’d sent a car to get you, would you have come quietly?”

M’gann considered the question.  “Valid.”

“Thank you.  Please, sit.”

“I’ll stand.”

Lillian nodded.  “A position of power.  Ever the Luthor.  You have that at least, but you’re giving it up to associate with... Lena, please, do whatever else you want, but not that.”

With a shrug, M’gann said, “But Kara’s what I want.”

“No, she’s not.”

“She’s not?”

With a head shake, Lillian made a gesture to the woman to whom she had handed off her coat and gloves, and when the woman brought over two chairs said, “Let’s both sit.  How does that sound?”

“Suspicious.”

With a slow smile, Lillian lowered herself to her chair and gestured to the other seat, waiting for her daughter to do the same.

“All right, Mother,” M’gann said as she took a seat mirroring Lillian’s pose.  “Why don’t you tell me what it is that I want.  Do you have my future all planned out for me?”

“Of course.  What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t?”

“At this point, I’d settle for something a little bit less homicidal.”

“Oh come, Lena.  You complain if I don’t take an interest in your life, and now you complain when I do.  You can’t have it both ways.”

“You kidnapped me... again.  I think there’s room for middle ground here, don’t you think?  You could just send a card.  You know, ‘Planning to take over the world.  Wish you were here.  Mom.’”

Forearms on knees, Lillian leaned forward, “But I do wish you were here.  What’s the point in saving the world if I can’t leave it to my children?  With you literally sleeping with the enemy…” Lillian sighed.  “Lena, you’ve made some rather outrageous choices in your life to get my attention, but this is a new low.”

“You think…” Leaning forward, M’gann mirrored Lillian yet again.  “You think I’m involved with Kara to get your attention?”

“You’ve always been willful.  I say black, and you say white.  That’s always been our way, Lena.  You adored your father, thought he could do no wrong.  I, however, was questioned and argued with on every choice I ever made.  You think it was easy for me to be your parent after Lionel died?”

M’gann sat blinking, saying nothing, ill-prepared for this discussion.

“I told you that I’d respected your father’s wishes to stay away from you while he was alive, and with him gone, our relationship was already so... strained.  You were eager to go when I sent you away to boarding school.  Don’t deny that.”

“I... I’m not,” M’gann stuttered out.

“So, I gave us what we both needed... space.  But I did love you in my own way.  As you grew older, our differences only served to divide us further.  I thought that you would at least come home and take up your role in the family business when you graduated, but then you ran off and decided to work on that startup trying to do... what was it?”

Eyebrows high and mouth slowly opening, M’gann stared as she was unable to respond.

“You were going to cure cancer, weren’t you?”

“It’s... a noble goal.”

Sighing again, Lillian said, “Of course, Lena.  It would be in the best interest of humanity.  Can’t you see that you and I have so much in common?  We both want to help people, help humans, and are willing to sacrifice everything to do it.”

“I want to help all people not just humans.”

“You think I hate aliens.  I don’t.”

“You tried to kill them all.”

“They’re on our planet.”

Leaning back and crossing her arms, M’gann asked, “So you were just fumigating?”

From where he stood lurking off to the side, Henshaw said, “They are vermin, and we’re the exterminators.”

Tension ran up M’gann’s entire body, ending in tight lines around her eyes, but it was Lillian who raised a hand at the cyborg to silence him.

“Lena,” Lillian said, “look at the history of any country, and you’ll see the future of this planet if we don’t do something to stop it.  The indigenous people are met by newcomers to their land.  They welcome these travelers, and it’s too late before they find out they’ve laid out the welcome mat for their invaders.  Years later, their numbers only a fraction of what they once were, their resources stripped, their rights subjugated, their heritage mere history, they beat their drums and their chests looking for someone, anyone, to help them rise up and regain a percentage of what they once called theirs.  This is the future of the Earth if patriots like those you see around you at Cadmus aren’t willing to put our lives and livelihood aside for the good of all humanity.  You’re a scholar, Lena.  Surely you can recognize that pattern, can’t you?”

“You’re right, Mother,” M’gann said, waiting until Lillian smiled to add, “That is what **humans** do.”

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?”

“Mensa agreed.”

“Is this a joke to you, Lena?”

“No, Mother, the joke to me is that you, the embodiment of white privilege, is basing your whole genocidal crusade on some outlandish fear that you might one day have to ride in the back of the bus.”

“Lena—”

“As if you’ve ever been on a bus,” M’gann added.

“I told you she’d never listen,” Henshaw said as he stepped next to M’gann.  “I told you she was corrupted beyond saving.  Let me dispose of them both.”  He grabbed M’gann by the upper arm again.

“Get your hand off of me!”  M’gann snapped.

“You had a chance, and you wasted it,” Henshaw said.  “Say goodbye to your mother.”

Rising to her feet, M’gann stared up at Henshaw.  “Perhaps you didn’t hear me, Mr. Henshaw.  I told you to take your hand off of me.”

“I don’t take orders from you.”

“Oh, really?  I’m not so sure about that.  I know a dog when I see one, and I’m pretty sure you heel when a Luthor woman calls your name.  Should we see if I’m right?”

As Henshaw tightened his grip, the veins on his neck popping out, Lillian said, “That’s enough, Mr. Henshaw.  Let my daughter go.”

After several tense moments, Henshaw released M’gann and took a step away, but their gazes remained locked.

A smile curling her lips, M’gann said, “Good boy.  Now, why don’t you go fetch me something to drink?  I’m parched.”

As his hand snapped back up to hover that finger an inch from her face once again, Henshaw said, “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

“No, it’s you who has no idea who you’re messing with,” M’gann replied.  “I am so looking forward to giving you an education.”

“Are you done antagonizing him, Lena?”

Shrugging, M’gann said, “For now, Mother.  No promises for the future.”

“Then sit down.”  When M’gann had done as she was asked, Lillian said, “Is Mr. Henshaw right?  Am I wasting my time with you?”

“And what if you are?  Will you kill me?”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Lena.  Honestly, I thought Lex was the dramatic child.  You were the meticulous planner, the strategist, the stubborn one.  You and I butted heads because we were so alike.  It’s just what mothers and daughter do.”  With a shake of her head, Lillian said, “I’d kill for you, but I wouldn’t kill you.”

“I... I don’t think that’s as comforting as you mean it to be.”

“Should I deal with the Kryptonian?” Henshaw asked.

Raising a brow, Lillian watched M’gann for a response.

“Wait,” M’gann said.  “Mother, perhaps we could compromise.”

“Compromise.”  Lillian shrugged.  “Not one of my finer virtues, but I’m listening.”

“You already tried to send the aliens off to other worlds, didn’t you?”

“I did, and your little girlfriend and her sister got in the way of that.  I’m telling you, Lena, that family has been no end of troubles to this family.”

“I’m sure they could say the same about us.”  Before Lillian could respond, M’gann said, “Mother, Kara and I are trying to change that, but kidnapping us, threatening to hurt Kara, this isn’t how it’s done.”

“It could be how it's done,” Henshaw added.

“You’re not part of this conversation,” M’gann reminded him.  “And where’s my damn Perrier?  Lime with a twist.”

While Henshaw growled, Lillian said, “Do you have a better idea, Lena?  You’re running all over National City with not just any alien but one of the greatest enemies of our family.  Here I was hoping it was all being done in ignorance but apparently not.  Can you imagine how disappointed I am, how hurt Lex would be if he knew?”

“Mother.”  M’gann took a moment to control herself.  “I don’t want to hurt you or Lex.”

“You have a funny way of showing it.  It could only be worse if you were running around with Superman.”  Leaning forward, elbows on her knees again, Lillian asked, “Do you know who he is?”

After several blinks, M’gann replied, “She hasn’t told me, sorry.”

“I could find out.”  Henshaw curled his hands into tight fists.

Pointing at Henshaw, M’gann sat looking at Lillian.

“He won’t do anything.  Just relax, Lena.  Now, what was that compromise you mentioned?  

“I don’t want any aliens killed,” M’gann began.

“This is your compromise?” Lillian asked.

“No.  I’m willing to discuss working with you if we can find a better way.”

Her eyes narrowing, Lillian asked, “You’d work with Cadmus?”

Holding out her hands and gesturing about, M’gann said, “Willingly?  Not particularly, but you have me at a bit of a disadvantage, Mother.  You have me, but more importantly, you have Kara.  I want your guarantee no harm will come to her.”

Lillian studied M’gann for several moments before replying, “And if I agree?”

“Then we have our compromise,” M’gann replied.  “Show me what you have planned for aliens, and let me work with you to come up with a more peaceful option.  What do you say?”

“What if I can prove to you how dangerous they are?” Lillian asked as she leaned back in her chair, her gaze heavy upon M’gann.

“I’ll listen,” M’gann replied as she struggled to not squirm under the heavy scrutiny.  “I can’t disagree that some aliens are surprisingly dangerous.  Some, like Kara, are very powerful and can pass for humans.”

“Sometimes you can’t tell a human from an alien.  Those are the most dangerous kind,” Lillian said with a slow nod.

Keeping her face neutral, M’gann replied, “So, show me what you’ve got planned, and let me see if I can come up with a better option?”

“Lena, if this is some kind of trick—”

“No trick, Mother.  You have Kara.  You have me.  You win.  But... you still are my mother, aren’t you?”  Hand stretching out, M’gann waited.

“I am.”

“Then meet me halfway.  Let’s do this together.”

Lillian hesitated.  When she first moved her hand, A sound of warning came from Henshaw which turned into a sound of disgust when she grasped M’gann’s hand.  “Together.”

“Together,” M’gann repeated, smiling.

 

<><> 

 

Pulling clothes from the middle drawer of her dresser, Alex stacked them on the top before she closed the drawer with her thigh.  Brows furrowed, she pressed her lips together tightly as she examined her selections.  It was best to plan for four days in Midvale.  If they were gone longer, they could buy things and/or do laundry there.  With an assured nod, she moved to the closet, pulling it open and then taking out a suitcase for the trip.

“Yeah, thanks a million.  I owe you Erickson,” Maggie was saying into her phone as she entered the room.  “I’ll make it up to you.”

_“You send me pictures of whatever you and Danvers are off doing, and we’ll call it even.”_

Making eye contact with Alex, Maggie grinned.  “I’ll cover your shifts at some point.  How does that sound?”

_“Not as good as I bet those pictures look.”_

As Alex crouched down, unzipping the suitcase, Maggie’s eyebrows rose.  “You’d win that bet.  Look, I need to pack before my girlfriend leaves me here.  Thanks, man.”

_“No problem.  Take care and Merry Christmas.”_

“Merry Christmas.”

As Maggie put her phone down, Alex asked, “Erickson covering your shifts?”

“Yeah, and he only asked me for nudes twice.”

“Really?”

Maggie nodded.  “It must be the holiday spirit.  He’s feeling generous.”

Alex laughed as she sat on the side of the bed.  “Well, you can let him know he’s welcome to kiss my ass any time that he wants.”

Shaking her head, Maggie said, “Babe, he would totally kiss your ass... like, totally.”

“Ugh.”

Maggie shrugged.  “Some chicks are into that.”

“I’m not some chicks.”

“Ditto, at least not with Erickson.”  Maggie grinned waiting to see if Alex would smile back, but when the redhead merely looked down at her hand, Maggie asked, “So, how are you holding up?  You seem tense.”

“I’m stressed about seeing my mom.”

“Yeah,” Maggie said slowly.  “You know it’s going to be all right, right?”

“She’s upset with me.  She’s disappointed.”

“Hey.”  Sitting next to Alex, Maggie squeezed her fiancée’s knee.  “Your mom doesn’t agree with what you did, and she may read you the riot act.  You’ll get a lecture, have to apologize to your little sister—”

“Who can throw a bus at me.”

“Which is an intimidating factor in this, yes, I’ll admit it.  However, your little sister is also a sweet kid who can be bought off with pizza and dessert.  I recommend us bringing a dozen doughnuts down with us.”

“Two dozen, but make sure some are crullers.  Kara loves crullers.”

“Noted.  Now, about Eliza, you and she will be fine because though she may not agree with what you did, and though she may be disappointed in your actions, she isn’t disappointed in you as a person.  She doesn’t love you any less or think any less of you.  You’re still her daughter.  You get that, right?”

“Well, yeah but—”

Interrupting Alex with a kiss, Maggie said, “Relax.  You got it made.  Your mom is awesome.  If you want to be stressed because your mom is upset, then feel free, but you don’t get to have a second to worry that anything is wrong between you and your mom.  That I won’t allow because that she won’t allow.”

Smiling, Alex said, “Yeah, yeah, you’re right, Mags.  How’d you get so smart?”

“Good question.  It was some time before I said yes to marrying you.”

“Obviously.”

“Obviously.  You still stressed?”

“Less stressed, so, thanks.”

Leaning in to kiss Alex again, Maggie asked, “Want to be even less stressed?”

“Ah, I’m kind of down one wing here.”  She patted her hand that was in the sling against her body.  “I’m not really sure what I can do.”

Gently pushing Alex back on the bed, Maggie said, “Well, I know what I can do.  Why don’t you look really hot why I do it?”

“Yeah?”

Dimples deepening, Maggie replied, “Oh, yeah.”

As her fiancée kissed her neck, Alex hummed her happiness.  “Mmmm, you feel amazing.”

Continuing to kiss her way down Alex’s neck, Maggie asked, “You going to talk the whole time here?”

“Do you even know me?”

“Valid.”  Pushing down Alex’s body, Maggie pushed the other woman’s tank top up and laid kisses from along her ribs to a path down her torso.  The whole time, Maggie’s fingers massaged along Alex’s sides, fingernails scratching lightly and leaving a trail of goosebumps in their passing.

Winding her fingers in Maggie’s hand, Alex moaned slightly.  “God, yeah, babe.”

With a throaty chuckle, Maggie nimbly unsnapped Alex’s jeans and shifted them down the other woman’s hips.  Alex was more than happy to press a heel into the bed and lift her butt to make the process possible.  Quickly, the jeans were off and forgotten into a pile on the floor.  With a quick jerking motion as she grabbed Alex by the hips, Maggie pulled her fiancée closer to herself.  Smiling, she looked up and made eye contact to meet an equally eager gaze.

Maggie laid gentle kiss after gentle kiss to the interior of Alex’s thigh while her fingers tickled the sensitive skin along the woman’s stomach.  When a thrown back head and small moan were the response, Maggie’s smile grew.

“You’re such a fucking tease,” Alex complained as she squirmed.

Grabbing Alex again to hold her in place, Maggie increased the intensity of the kisses opening her mouth and following with a quickly flicking tongue as she moved her way up Alex’s thigh.

“Oh damn, yeah babe.  Please, that’s it... J’onn.”

Frozen mid-stroking tongue on Alex’s inner thigh, Maggie lifted her head and stared open-mouthed at Alex.  “What the fuck did you just call me?”

Eyes slightly unfocused as she nodded, Alex said, “Okay, okay, I’m coming, J’onn.”

“Whoa!  Hey!”  Leaping to her feet as she jumped away from the bed, Maggie held one hand up even as she wiped her mouth with the back of her other hand.  “Babe, no.  I mean... no.  Something like that you don’t just spring on a person.  I’m down with roleplay.  You know I’m down with roleplay, but we need communication around it especially if you want to do something like... that.  I mean, babe that’s just... You’re into **that**?”

Nodding as she sat up, Alex said, “Absolutely, we need Winn.”

“Oh, fuck no.  We do not need Winn.  Look, I’m as kinky as the next girl—”

“And Vasquez, I’ve got this.”

Shrugging and nodding, Maggie said, “Okay, Vasquez is negotiable.  Where are you going?”

As she walked out the bedroom door, Alex said, “Mags, get my pants.”

Grabbing Alex’s jeans from where she’d shucked them to the floor, Maggie grumbled, “Damn straight because you are not getting laid now.  I may be your daddy, but I am not your Space Daddy.”

In the other room, Alex stood with her phone to her ear.  “Winn, I need everyone activated immediately.  This is a Priority Alpha situation.”

_“O-okay Alex.  What is it?  Is it Reign again?  Is Kara back?”_

“Negative.  J’onn and M’gann have been taken by Cadmus.”

_“What!?”_

Jeans in hand, Maggie stopped next to Alex.

_“What do we do!?  Do we call Kara!?  Do we call Lena!?  Can she talk her crazy mom down!?”_

“Put my pants on.”

_“What?”_

While Maggie helped her dress, Alex said, “Just relax.  Cadmus doesn’t know they have J’onn and M’gann.”

_“But... I’m confused.”_

“They think they took Kara and Lena.  J’onn and M’gann were posing as them.  They took J’onn down with kryptonite, and M’gann went along willingly so Henshaw wouldn’t hurt him.”

_“But kryptonite doesn’t affect J’onn.”_

“Right, but it affects Kara.  They’re playing along.  I need everyone brought in on this one.  Full tactical squads.  Get me a button down shirt?”

Yelling, Winn said, _“We need all squads, full tactical, and a shirt for Alex!”_

As Maggie nodded and walked away, Alex said, “So, J’onn says they’re being held at a small airport on the southwest side of town.  They have them in a hanger.  Can you get us information on private airports no longer in use or that could be used by sympathetic Cadmus folks in that area?”

 _“On it.  Oh, and Vasquez has the teams being called in.”_  
“Excellent.  I’ll have Maggie contact the NCPD to get a crew together.  Text us a location as soon as you get it.  I’ll drive in with her.  Any questions?”

_“Nope, I’m working on your locations now.  I have it limited to three options, and utility usage should finalize that for us in a minute.”_

“Good work, Winn.”  As Maggie came over with a shirt, Alex said to her, “I’m so sorry about this, babe.  You are so hot.  As soon as my arm is better, I’m going to make you feel so good.”

_“Wh... what?”_

“Text me that location, Winn,” Alex said as she disconnected.

“Alex, what... what did you say?  Hello?”  Pulling out his earpiece, Winn laid it on the table and sat staring.  “That may have been the most disturbing thing that’s happened to me since I started working here.  I never thought I’d miss the days of Alex threatening me.”

 

<><> 

 

Leg jittering and one hand tapping out a beat on the arm of the couch, Kara’s eyes constantly strayed from the television screen to the woman sitting next to her.  In contrast, Lena might have been carved from marble for all the expression she showed.  Back ramrod straight and head held high, she could have been facing down an angry board of directors instead of watching a holiday special given her unaffected expression and perfectly timed blinks.  When she casually pushed to her feet, Kara leaped to hers like a dog eager to chase a ball.

Running her fingers through her hair, Lena stretched and said, “I think I’ll make a cup of tea.  Eliza, would you like some?”

“That would be lovely, sweetheart.”

“Kara, cocoa?”

“Uh, yeah, please,” Kara replied with a smile.  “Cookies too?”

“Of course.  Give me a hand?”

When Lena’s gaze flicked to hers, one eyebrow raised and a smirk appearing and vanishing like a magician’s trick, abracadabra, Kara swallowed hard. “Yeah, sure.  I’ll just be in the kitchen, um…”  Head down, she followed in the other woman’s wake.

When neither young woman had reappeared more than ten minutes later, Eliza rose from her chair to head toward the kitchen.  “Did they get lost or something?”  As she opened the kitchen door, she gasped audibly.  “Girls!”

 

<><> 

 

“This database houses what we know nutritionally about the aliens we’ve cataloged.  You’d think that doesn’t matter, but from what we’ve been able to determine…”  Looking at M’gann’s slightly glazed eyes, Lillian asked, “Am I boring you, Lena?”

“Hmmm?  What?  Oh, no, Mother, I just... No, not at all.  This is all very interesting.”

“Really?  You seem distracted.”

With a smile, M’gann shook her head.  “No, I want to hear more.  Please, go on... and on... and on.”

Arms crossed as she stared down at the shorter woman, Lillian said, “Lena, I’m sure you think this attitude is cute, but I’m not amused.  You were the one who wanted to see our research and try and reach a compromise.  If you’d rather have Mr. Henshaw—”

“No, no.  I apologize, Mother.  I’m just worried about Kara, so I’m being rude.  Forgive me?”

“An apology from my daughter?  Should I circle this day on my calendar?”

M’gann smiled.  “You might want to.  I guarantee this will be a historic day.”

Lillian smiled and began to talk about the database again, but M’gann was nearly immediately distracted by another voice.

_“M’gann, we have company.”_

_“Define company, J’onn.”_

_“The DEO has taken position at the perimeter, and they have members of the NCPD with them.  They’re ready to move in on our signal.”_

Smiling, M’gann replied, _“I’m ready when you are.”_

 _“Just give me a minute to join you,”_ J’onn replied.   _“They only have two guards on me since I’m incapacitated by this kryptonite.”_

 _“Okay, **Kara** , I’ll be waiting for you, darling.”  _Clearing her throat, M’gann smiled up at Lillian.  “You know, this really has been a fabulous education.  I never thought I’d have this opportunity to get to know you like this.  I never thought I’d want it, but honestly, I’m glad that I’ve had it.  It’s been enlightening.”

“You think you’ve learned something?” Lillian asked.

“Tons,” M’gann replied.  “I always thought you hated aliens, but you said it yourself.  You don’t.  You fear them.”

“I’m not afraid of aliens.”

“Of course you are,” M’gann countered,  And with good reason.  You’ve stirred up so much hate that many aliens who saw you would attack you in self-defense.  Most humans have nothing to fear, but you, Lillian, you’ve earned their ire.”

“I’m Lillian again?”

“You’ve always been Lillian.  Lillian, or Mrs. Luthor or... Well, I’ll stop there for my sake not yours.  You, Lillian Luthor, are a hate monger.  What you sow, you reap.”

“My, my.  Getting all biblical on me, Lena?”

“Is that what that’s from?” M’gann asked.  “I read it on the inside of a cap of Snapple iced tea.”

“All right, that’s enough, Miss Luthor.  Maybe a day or two locked up like the Kryptonian will change her demeanor,” Henshaw suggested.

“That’s not nearly enough,” M’gann replied holding fast when he grabbed her arm.  “You know, I’ve seen a lot of movies on this planet, and usually I prefer the original.  In this case, the original is just a cheap imitation of the new and improved.”  

As Henshaw glared tugging at M’gann’s arm, she smiled up at him.  

“Is something wrong, Mr.s Henshaw?” M’gann asked mockingly.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Henshaw?” Lillian asked, concern creeping into her voice.

“I... I can’t move her.”

“That’s not possible,” Lillian said.

“I’m telling you, I can’t move her!”

“Maybe his warranty’s up,”  M’gann smirked.

Everyone’s head turned when the door opened, and J’onn entered looking like Kara.  “Did you start without me?”

“I was just about to,” M’gann replied.

“How did you get loose?  How did she get loose?” Lillian asked as she looked around for an explanation.

J’onn held up a glowing, green chunk.  “Defective kryptonite.”

“Ooooo, that happens.  Defective cyborg too,” M’gann said right before she spun on Henshaw and punched him in the chest, sending him flying across the room and burying him into the wall.

“Le... Lena!?”

Shaking her head a Lillian, M’gann’s formed shifted into that of a green Martian.  “Not Lena.”  

Lillian barely had time to gasp before M’gann had grabbed her and tossed her into the armed guards.

“Hey, save some for me!” J’onn complained as she shifted form.

“Then get your butt in gear and get to work!” M’gann said as she threw the people away from the consoles before they could hit an alert.

All too quickly, it was a blur of action.  The humans were knocked unconscious, and Henshaw, as powerful as he was, was no match for two Martians.  The combined forces of the DEO and the NCPD swept in and took out the remaining Cadmus members with some injuries but no casualties on the part of the good guys.  Within two hours, it was a resounding victory for our heroes.  Things were being tagged and bagged, and some of America’s most wanted were being led away in cuffs before the night was through.

Hand to her earcom, Alex grimaced as a line of prisoners walked by her.  “Crap.”

“What’s wrong?” M’gann asked.

“We’ve got press.”

“Press?”

“Reporters are heading in en masse.  Somehow word got out.  Hey, Mags!”  Alex waited while her fianceé joined her.  “Did your folks spill the beans to the press about this?”

“Why do you think it would be my guys?”

“Well, it couldn’t be my guys.  My guys are government agents,” Alex replied.

“Right, and the government is always trustworthy.”  Pointing up, Maggie said, “Babe, we’ve got airsupport and searchlights looking for runners.  Reporters from the high school newspaper could have sniffed out this lead.  It’s not Pulitzer worthy.  Chill.”

You’re right.  Sorry.  I just…”  Running the hand on her good arm through her hair, Alex said, “I need to figure out a way to do some damage control.  We just took down Cadmus, and we’ll have every newspaper and television station in the local area here in ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?  Just let me put on my face,” M’gann said.  Shifting until she looked like Lena again, M’gann nodded.  “Perfect.  How do I look?”

“What are you doing?” Alex nodded.

“Damage control,” M’gann replied.  “If we can’t stop the press from showing up, we can at least control the face we put on this story, and it will be this face, the face of the heroic young Luthor who helped to arrest her mother.  What do you think?”

“I think the press will be all over you,” Alex replied.  “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“I won’t be alone.  J’onn, I need you to change again!” M’gann yelled.

Across the way, J’onn yelled and shifted into Kara.

Shaking her head, M’gann yelled, “Not quite!”

 

<><> 

 

“Girls!  Girls, get in here right now!” Eliza called out from the living room.  “Girls!”

“What is it?  What’s wrong?” Kara asked as she and Lena ran to the back door from outside, the Kryptonian tugging the human along.

“Quick, on the TV!” Eliza yelled again.  “They’re showing National City, and Maggie and Alex are there!”

“What!?”  Hand-in-hand, Kara and Lena hurried to the living room.

“Are they all right?” Lena asked.

“I thought they were on their way here.  Is it Reign” Kara asked.

“Reign?” Eliza shook her head in response.  Then, turning to Lena, she said, “It’s your mother.”

“What!?!” Barely waiting for Eliza to move out of the way, Kara and Lena rushed to see what was on the TV.  On the screen were several DEO and NCPD members escorting people in handcuffs into the backs of unmarked, black vans.  Supergirl had a rather beaten up and subdued looking Hank Henshaw in custody.  She disappeared offscreen with him.  Alex could be seen holding a shocked Lillian Luthor by one arm while Maggie spoke to her fiancée.  When Supergirl moved back on screen again, Lena was walking alongside her.

“Well, this just keeps getting more and more interesting,” Eliza said.

“Shhhh.”  Grabbing the remote, Kara turned up the volume as reporters moved closer and started to asked questions of Lena and Supergirl.

 _“Supergirl!  Supergirl!_ ” One reporter called out.   _“What exactly happened here tonight?”_

Placing her hand gently on Lena’s near shoulder, Supergirl smiled.   _“With the help of Miss Lena Luthor, Cadmus was dealt a heavy blow.  Lillian Luthor and Hank Henshaw, the group's ringleaders, have been taken into custody.  I’m sure all of National City will sleep a little better tonight.  This city owes a great debt to Lena Luthor.”_

“J’onn does an awful you,” Eliza commented.

_“Miss Luthor!  This is the second time you’ve worked with law enforcement to aid in the arrest of your mother.  Any comment?”_

On the screen, Lena furrowed her brows, a sad smile coming to her face. _“I’m sorry this was necessary.  My family has brought so much pain to this city, to other cities, to this world.  All I can do is continue to try and right my family’s wrongs and make this world a better place.  I know none of it will make up for the evil my family has done, the people they’ve hurt.  I don’t expect to ever make up for it, but I will always be better.  With the example of people like Supergirl, we can all be better and make a better world.”_

“Well, now that’s much more believable,” Eliza said.  “Is that M’gann?”

As Lillian Luthor was led a bit too close to the reporters, they called out to her.   _“Mrs. Luthor, any comments about your arrest?”_

She strained against Alex’s hands.   _“When the aliens have taken this world from us, I’ll be remembered as a patriot.  Do not wait until it is too late to rise up!  Cadmus has not fallen!  Rise up!”_

The TV Lena sigh loudly. _“Oh, Mother, you’ve earned this.  Really, insane rhetoric and rantings?  Isn’t that beneath us?  Take it like a Luthor.  Try and show some class.”_

_“You are not my daughter!!”_

Raising one eyebrow, M’gann coolly replied, _“Why, thank you, Mother.  That may be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”_

Mouth hanging unhinged, Lena landed, wide-eyed, on the couch.

Scratching the back of her neck, Kara turned with a crooked smile.  “Wow, M’gann does do a really good you.  Are you sure you aren’t the alien shapeshifter, Lena?”

“I... I... well, fuck,” Lena finally stuttered out.

With a sheepish smile, Kara said, “Sorry, Eliza.”

“It’s all right, Kara.  There are cases where dropping the f-bombs are warranted.  Watching yourself help to arrest your mother definitely makes the cut.”  As Eliza took a seat on the couch next to Lena, she laid a gentle hand over the younger girl’s arm and applied just a hint of pressure.  “What do you need, sweetheart?”

Eyes blown wide, Lena turned to meet Eliza’s gaze.  “Honestly?  I haven’t the foggiest.  In my wildest fantasies, I never thought I’d see…” One hand spinning a bit at the wrist as she held her arm out in front of her, Lena blinked a bit and let her mouth hang open.

“Of course, you didn’t,” Eliza said with a kindly smile, never breaking her gaze from Lena’s.  “Kara, I think Lena could use your support, sweetheart.”

“Oh, right!”  Moving to sit on Lena’s other side, Kara wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently pulled the other girl into her.  “I’m right here, honey.  I’ve got you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?”

“Always.”

Sighing, Lena relaxed a bit, closing her eyes as she sank into Kara.  After a few seconds of silence, she asked, “You saw that too, right?”

“You and me arresting your mother and Henshaw, yeah.”

“Okay,” Lena said with several quick nods.  “It’s just that I’m here with you, spending a lovely time with your mother, and apparently we’re dating.”  At that, she opened her eyes and pulled back just enough so she and Kara could look into each others’ eyes, though both of their expressions were unreadable at the moment.  “Right, anyway, happily dating Supergirl for the holidays, but I have taken far too many blows to the head not to be at risk for some kind of brain trauma.”

“Lena—”

“No, no, hear me out.  Now I’m with you and also watching the two of us arrest my mother and Hank Henshaw, the greatest threats to our happiness.  It all seems a bit pat, doesn’t it?”

“That was J’onn and M’gann.  You know that, don’t you?” Kara asked.

“Or…”  Lena held up one finger.  “I’m hallucinating.  That makes much more sense than my being the last free Luthor who is also in a happy relationship with one of two Kryptonian superheroes and on a lovely vacation and meeting her Earth mother... who is also lovely.  Eliza, you’re lovely.”

Eliza smiled half-heartedly as her gaze flicked to meet Kara’s uneasy one.

“So, as a scientist.”  Lena sighed.  “Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate.”

Kara shook her head.  “What?”

“Entities are not to be multiplied without necessity,” Lena translated.

“I... still don’t get it.”

“The simplest explanation is usually the correct one,” Eliza said as she shut off the TV.  “In this case, that means we’re done watching the news, and it’s time for you girls to go upstairs and relax for a while.  You can even use my room... ahem, within reason.  I’ll call Alex and get an update from the source.”

“Thanks, Eliza,” Kara said as she tugged Lena to her feet.  “Come on, sweetheart.  Let’s go upstairs, and you can explain the whole non sum multiples thing to me, and I’ll kiss you and remind you how very real we are.”  Her gaze flicking over to Eliza, Kara smiled, “Within reason.”

When the two younger women had left, Eliza dialed the phone.  It went to voicemail twice before her daughter answered.

_“Hey, Mom, is this important because I’m—?”_

“I was watching TV, Alex.  What’s going on, and why didn’t I know you hurt your arm?”

_“Oh, you saw huh?”_

“Yes.”

_“Oh.  Well, it was kind of last minute, but good news, we got the bad guys.  Merry Christmas?”_

“Alexandra…” Eliza’s voice held a note of warning.

_“Mom, really I knew nothing until a few hours ago.  I was with Maggie, um, packing and J’onn contacted me telepathically.  While he and M’gann were out impersonating Kara and Lena, Cadmus took them.  They got Cadmus’ location, told us where it was, and we had to act immediately.  I couldn’t tell anyone what was going on.  That’s protocol.  You understand, right?”_

“I understand Lena is in shock after what she just saw on the TV,” Eliza replied.  “When I saw you and Maggie there, I wasn’t expecting to see Kara and Lena too.  Alex, that girl’s been through too much especially lately.  She needs a break.”

_“Yeah, right.  I’m sorry about that, Mom.  It just seemed like a good opportunity to give Lena and her company some good, free press.  The last time she arrested her mom, Maggie had to arrest Lena, and it all back-fired on her.  We were just trying to fix it.”_

With a sigh, Eliza said, “Fine.  When are you coming here?”

_“I’m not sure.  We have a whole Cadmus base worth of folks to process and all of their equipment and information, not to mention Lillian and Hank.  Mom, this is a goldmine.  It could be a few days.”_

“Just... get here as quickly as you can.  I’m keeping your sister and Lena apart until you tell them the truth.  I don’t want them to do anything they regret when they find out their relationship started from a lie.”

_“What do you mean apart?”_

“I mean I’m trying to keep them from doing anything physical,” Eliza explained with an eye roll.  “Those girls are like bunnies in the spring right now.  I’m afraid to let them out of my sight.  They went to make tea and cocoa before.  I got suspicious after ten minutes and found them on the kitchen counter... Well, you get the gist of it.  I didn’t think I’d need to have the ‘not under my roof’ conversation with two women in their twenties.”

_“Well, they are adults.”_

“Who deserve the whole truth,” Eliza reminded her daughter.  “After you’ve given them that, if they want to act on their obvious physical attraction, then I’ll get a hotel room and let them do whatever around the house.  I certainly don’t want to be here the way they’re carrying on.”

_“It’s really that bad, huh?”_

“We’re not discussing this, but yes, it’s really that bad.  I’m sending you a bill for everything they break.  I hope you get a big, fat bonus for capturing Lillian Luthor.  You’re going to need it.”


	21. Genie in a Bottle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Alex speak briefly after Lillian and Hank's capture. The next day, Lena and Kara go on an official date in Midvale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I fell off the face of the Earth for a bit folks. I needed to do so. This is me dipping my big toe back into the water. We'll see how it goes.

Lena was the little spoon curled into Kara on Eliza’s bed.  There had been no tears from the young Luthor, merely blank stares as she clung tightly to Kara for comfort.  Gentle kisses and reassuring words had been given, and eventually, Lena had relaxed enough to let the heaviness of sleep overtake her.  Still, Kara stayed there for well over an hour until she was certain that Lena was well and truly asleep. 

Carefully lifting the younger woman, Kara carried Lena down to the other room.  She laid her in Kara’s bed and removed Lena’s shoes.  Kara paused, hands over Lena’s pants in the interest of sleeping comfort but then moving them away as relationship guidelines hadn’t really been established here.  Pulling up the blanket, Kara covered the other woman and applied a kiss to Lena’s forehead.

“Sleep well, sweetheart.”

Grabbing the extra blanket and pillow from the still broken bed, Kara made her way downstairs where her foster mother was dozing on the chair.

Eliza yawned.  “I was about ready to curl up on the couch and call it a night.  A few more minutes and I would have turned into a pumpkin.”

Kara pointed at Eliza.  “That’s a Cinderella reference.  I saw that movie.”

“Thank goodness for your Disney addiction.”  Stretching, Eliza stood.  “How is she?”

“Asleep and in my bed.  Sorry to have kept you out of your room for so long, but I wanted to make sure she fell asleep and stayed asleep.  She’s had a rough few … life I guess.”

Squeezing Kara’s forearm, Eliza replied, “She’s not the only one.  How are you?”

“Fine.  I’m just worried about her.  Anything with her mom just sets Lena off.  I mean, it’s good to have Lillian not out there but going through another trial …”  Rubbing the back of her neck, Kara shook her head.  “Lena will need our support.”

“She has that.  You know that, right?”

“You’ve been amazing to her, Eliza.  I can’t thank you enough.”

“You don’t have to.  It’s obvious how much you care about her, but even if it weren’t, Lena is a wonderful person.  She deserves our help just for who she is, not for who she is to you.”

Nodding, Kara said, “I’m sorry we lied to you.”

“Me too.  No more, okay?”

“Definitely.” Smiling broadly, Kara added, “Lena and I are dating.  Can you believe that?”

“I did both times you told me.”

“Heh.  Right.  Sorry.  This time I mean it though.  This time we’re really dating like for real.”  Hand to the middle of her chest, Kara said, “I’m dating Lena Luthor.  That’s like … awesome.”

Laughing, Eliza hugged Kara briefly.  “Although I’d love to continue this intellectual discussion with you for hours, I’m a middle-aged human and not a solar-powered alien.  I need my sleep.  Can we pick this up in the morning?”

“Oh, sure, sure.”  As Eliza headed for the stairs, Kara said, “Hey, Eliza?  I was thinking I’d like to take Lena on a real date tomorrow.  Would that be okay?”

“If it’s okay with Lena.  Go into town and have fun, just not too much fun.”

Kara shrugged.  “How much fun can we have in town?”

“Oh, sweetie.”  Leaning on the banister, Eliza replied, “I remember being young and in love.  There was this one time Jeremiah borrowed a VW bug to take me on a date to a movie.  Well, we were running late for the movie anyway, and we parked in the parking lot of the theater and **thought** no one was around so—”

“Good night Eliza.”

With an eye roll, Eliza turned and began to climb the stairs.  “Fine, but you’re missing one hell of a story.  You’ll understand when you have your own kids, and they think their parents never had sex.”

Kara waited until Eliza had reached the top of the stairs to grab her bedding and toss it onto the couch as she said, “My parents never did have sex.”  Kara made up the couch for herself but grabbed her cellphone and headed outside instead of lying down.  Happily, the phone was answered after only a few rings.

_“Hey, Kara.  I’m kind of in the middle of it here.  Is everything okay?”_

“That’s what I wanted to ask you, Alex?  Do you need me?”

_“I don’t think so.  We’ll be processing things for a while, but there isn’t much left to do here except for paperwork, and I know how much you love paperwork.”_

Kara grimaced.  “Yeesh.  It’s not my best thing.”

_“And yet you write for a living.”_

“Not in triplicate on the chartreuse paper because the lime paper is only for … for what again?”

 _“Requisitions,”_ Alex replied with a sigh.  _“We have a form that explains what color the forms should be.”_

“Wait, we have a form just for the forms?”

_“Of course.  We’re the United States Government.  We cut red tape lengthwise.”_

“I don’t know what that means.  What does that mean?”

_“I can’t explain that unless you fill out an I-47/E in triplicate.”_

Frowning, Kara asked, “Is that a joke?  Did you just make a paperwork joke?”

_“You know this could go on all night, right?”_

“I can carry a spaceship, but I don’t have the strength for this.  So, Lena freaked out a little bit when she saw us arresting her mom.”

_“Mom used the word shock.  How’s Lena doing?”_

“She’s asleep.  It took a bit of time, but she finally fell asleep.  I know arresting Lillian and Hank is a really good thing, but Lena has been battered around like a ping-pong ball in an emotional tornado.  The trial last time was really rough on her.  I was wondering—”

_“Kara?”_

“Hmmm?”

_“It won’t be an open trial this time.”_

Kara’s brows furrowed.  “What does that mean?”

_“It means that given Lillian’s breakout during the last trial, the government has some … leeway with this one.  It won’t be public if at all.”_

“But,” Kara said slowly, “don’t they need to be?  Alex, the Six Amendment guarantees her the right to a public trial without unnecessary delay.”

Alex chuckled.  _“I love that you know that.  That’s almost a sure sign you weren’t born in this country.  You know all of the Amendments verbatim.”_

“I wasn’t even born on this planet.  Anyway, don’t change the subject.  Explain this to me.”

_“Are you familiar with the Patriot Act?”_

“Yes, it was in place when I came to this planet.  It has to do with terrorists.”

_“Correct, and section 412 says that an individual may be held indefinitely if they pose a security threat to the United States.”_

Brows pressed together, Kara nodded slowly.  “Right, but that’s for terrorists, Alex.  This is Lena’s mom.  I mean, she’s awful and stuff.  She’s tried to kill me.  She’s tried to kill all aliens, but she’s an American citizen and—”

_“Kara, there are domestic terrorists too, and they’re almost always white.  They’re usually men, but leave it to Lillian to break into a man’s game.”_

“You’re telling me Lillian Luthor is classified as a domestic terrorist?”

_“Kara, Greenpeace is under investigation for domestic terrorism, so yeah, Lillian more than fits the bill.  You do remember her little stunt with the rocket launcher and spraying chemicals across National City, right?”_

Kara exhaled heavily.  “How could I forget.  My father invented that weapon.  The death of all non-Kryptonian aliens on Earth could have been my legacy if not for Lena.  I knew we could trust her.  I told you, Alex.”

_“No, we are not getting into another round of ‘I told you Lena walks on water, Alex’.  I liked the book better than the movie, but they’re both great.  You win, Kara.  I like Lena.  I hope you’re both very happy together.”_

“Yeah.”  Leaning back against the wall, Kara smiled.  The smile didn’t last, though.  “I don’t know how I feel about Lillian not getting a trial.”

_“Look, for now, let me have my fun doing paperwork.  We can argue about Lillian Luthor when I see you in Midvale.  Until I get there, just relax and have fun with your **girlfriend**.”_

“Well, I … pfft … I mean, she’s not my girlfriend, Alex.  Not yet at least.”

_“Sure thing, Kara.  Hey, get a good night’s sleep.  I’ll see you in two or three days, okay?  We have lots of evidence to process.”_

“Okay, goodnight, Alex.”

_“Oh, and hey.  Don’t break any of Mom’s furniture.  I’ve already gotten an earful about you two.  The less I hear, and the less furniture that has to be replaced, the better.”_

“What do you mean an earful?”

_“Don’t do things I would do.”_

Frowning, Kara asked, “Like threatening to cripple people with one of your fingers?”

Alex’s sigh came across the phone line.  _“Just follow Mom’s rules and have fun but not too much fun.  Have a high school level of fun, but not a college level of fun.  I mean a you high school level of fun, not other kids high school experience level of fun.  Do you understand?”_

“No.”  Kara’s frown deepened.  “The more you talk, the more confused I get.”

_“Welcome to my world.  Goodnight, Kara.”_

“Goodnight, love you, Alex.”

 _“Love you too, Kara.”_ Alex disconnected the call and slipped her phone into a small pouch inside her flak vest.  She grabbed the bar on the side of the armored transport vehicle with her good arm and pulled herself inside.  She sat on the bench, her professional demeanor in place.

“I bet you’re so proud of yourself, Agent Danvers.”

At those words, Alex’s eyes flicked to meet the gaze of the woman sitting across from her.  The initial shell-shock gone, Lillian Luthor made an imposing figure even defeated and shackled.  It wasn’t just the height, though she was a tall woman with flawless posture.  It was the attitude that Mrs. Luthor managed to maintain even at this moment.  Though a doctor and a mother, there was nothing in the woman’s face that hinted at either of these.  She was severe, unyielding like she’d been cut out of a mountainside, and she had the personality to match.

“The DEO did their job tonight,” Alex said returning as much warmth as Lillian offered.  “The citizens of the world will sleep safer with members of a dangerous terrorist organization safely behind bars.”

Suddenly, Lillian leaned forward only to be stopped by the strong hand of a DEO agent on either shoulder.  Alex lifted her hand, then ticked her chin up at each agent.  They nodded and released the Luthor matriarch.  Freed from their grip, Lillian leaned closer to Alex, her movements still restrained by the bonds at her hands and ankles that led to the floor of the transport vehicle below.

“You think you’ve done a good thing.”  Lillian’s blue eyes stared intently into Alex’s brown.  “I truly believe you do because we have some things in common.”

Alex scoffed.  “We have nothing in common.”

“No?”  A hint of a smile curled at Lillian’s lips.  “We’re both patriots, both doing what we think is best for land and liberty.”

Alex frowned.

“We both love our family, and we’d do anything for them.”

“Well, that’s crap.”

“Don’t!  Don’t pretend to tell me how I feel about my family.  I sacrificed more than you ever will.  I’ve lost my son.  Have I … Have I lost my daughter?”  When Alex didn’t respond, Lillian added, “Was she part of this charade?”

After a few more seconds, Alex shook her head.

Leaning back on the bench again, Lillian stared into the darkness of the vehicle.  “Well, that’s something at least.  Maybe she’ll visit me in prison.”

“I wouldn’t count on that where you’re going.” 

Turning her head sharply back to Alex, Lillian asked, “Are you my judge and jury now, Agent Danvers?”

“You tried to release a biological agent across National City that would have killed all alien life.  That was an act of terrorism.  My suggestion to you is that any time they move you, and it’s a sunny day, get a good look at the sun.  It might be your last.”

Lillian just turned away again, but she was smiling.  “Not the way I see it, Agent Danvers.  The Declaration of Independence is very clear.  It says that ‘... all men are created equal, they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.’  Men, in this text, has been accepted as mankind or humankind.  What I did was not directed toward humans.  It didn’t threaten humankind in any way.  My actions were to protect humanity.”  Lillian turned back, meeting Alex’s gaze again.  “You want to charge me with firing a missile launcher within the city limits, go ahead, though Lena was the one that actually did that.  I’ll even bring in Supergirl as a witness.  We can ask her to state her full name for the record.  What would that be again?”

Alex slid deeper into the bench seat, settling down.  “Yeah, you’re going away for a long time to a hole so deep the guards will need pressure suits, so they don’t get the bends when they come back from bringing you food.”

“Are you still seeing that detective, Agent Danvers?”

Sitting upright again, Alex said, “Leave Maggie out of this.”

Lillian raised her hands as high as they could while shackled.  “That’s not a threat though I can hardly be threatening at the moment, now can I.  I only meant, as you prefer the company of women, and since my daughter also does, I see potential there if we could just get over this little,” Lillian jingled her chains, “misunderstanding.  I know Jeremiah would be thrilled to have you join the family business.”

Alex snapped forward, one booted foot stomping down even as her nostrils flared and she stared into Lillian’s smug face.  The other agents around Alex tensed.  Then, after a few seconds, Alex relaxed and leaned back.  Everyone else stayed on guard as she reached under her vest and pulled something out.  They were only slightly calmer when it turned out to be a cellphone.  After all, this was Alex ‘I know six ways to kill you with one finger’ Danvers, so a cellphone was a legit deadly weapon.

“You know, that’s a really kind offer, Mrs. Luthor, but I think Lena’s already set on that front.  I was just on the phone getting an update on Lena’s situation.”  Alex held out the cellphone, wiggling it a bit back and forth.  “She was pretty upset catching this all on the news, but her significant other is taking care of her.”

Lillian tilted back her head, looking down her nose at Alex.  “I don’t think so.  Lena and I may not be making time for our little mother-daughter heart-to-hearts, but I keep an eye on her, and a Luthor relationship isn’t something you keep out of the press.  Even our dalliances are press worthy.”

“Oh.”  Elbow on her knee, Alex leaned forward.  “You misunderstood me before.  See, when I said Lena wasn’t part of this charade, I meant the charade to capture you.  She didn’t know anything about that, but her relationship with Kara, that’s very real.  As a matter of fact, my sister said she had just tucked her fiancée into bed.  I would have offered to let you and Kara talk, but Lena doesn’t like to sleep alone, so Kara was … Well, you know.  For the record, my mom is thrilled about the whole relationship.”

“You’re lying.”

“Nope.”  The P sound popped, and Alex leaned back on the bench seat again, sliding her phone back inside her flak vest.  “Don’t take it personally when you don’t get the Save the Date card.  I’m sure Lena would love to have you at the wedding, but where you’re going, that just won’t be possible.  It’s a shame too because I’m sure you would have made a **super** mother-in-law.”

“No.”  Lillian shook her head.  “No, Lena wouldn’t do this to me, to the Luthor name.  She wouldn’t do this.”

“Oh, Mrs. Luthor, I’m pretty sure it’s more about what Kara and Lena are doing to each other.”  With a slow nod, Alex smiled.  “Hey, if you behave, maybe I can convince the President to let them televise the wedding in your cell.  It would be a shame for you to miss the joining of the two families.”

Breathing too quickly, nearly hyperventilating, Lillian stared off into space before finally managing to strangle out one word,  “... bastard.”

 

<><> 

 

Kara woke up in the morning feeling a little stiff, a little cramped on the couch but with the smell of coffee and bacon in the air.  It brought a smile to her lips.  Stretching, she rose and shuffled into the kitchen, her smile growing at the scene before her.  Her back to Kara, Lena stood in front of the stove flipping pancakes and moving bacon from a pan onto a paper towel covered plate to dry.  Sneaking up, Kara got behind Lena, kissing the woman’s right cheek even as she reached around and snagged a piece of bacon with her left hand.

“Hey.”  Lena turned, smiling brightly at Kara.  “Well, good morning.”

Kara made quick work of her piece of bacon, licking her fingers clean before pulling Lena close.  “It is now.  How did you sleep?”

“I should be asking you that.  I had a bed.  You shouldn’t have been on the couch.”

“Oh, I was fine.”

“Doubtful.”  Lena pressed a kiss to Kara’s lips before stepping back.  “Kara, we discussed this.  You’re too tall for the couch.”

“You mean we argued about it and didn’t come to a decision.”

Turning back to flip pancakes, Lena said, “You’re right.  We weren’t listening to each other that night.”  She flipped the last one and turned again, patting Kara on the shoulder.  “I’m ready to listen if you want to talk.”

“Oh.  Okay, well, last night you were all worn out, emotionally I mean, and you fell asleep after I held you for a while.  Then I moved you to my bed.  I wanted to make sure you got a good night’s sleep.  That was what you needed.  My sleeping on the couch was the right thing.”

“There.  Communicating.  Look at us go.”  Lena gently kissed Kara again.  “So, with that in mind, tall girl, tonight should be my turn to sleep on the couch.”

“But—”  Lips were suddenly pressed against hers, and Kara couldn’t speak until Lena stepped back again.  “Okay, no fair kissing me.”

“No fair kissing you?”

“You know what I mean.  No fair kissing me when I’m trying to talk.”

Lena smirked.  “Go on.”

“Thank you.  You’re a guest in this house.”

“So are you.”

Frowning, Kara added, “You’re more of a guest, and you just underwent a trauma.  You’ve undergone a lot of traumas, actually.”

“I’ve undergone a lot of traumas?” Lena’s eyebrows rose high.

“Are you going to let me finish?”

“I apologize.”  Turning her back on Kara, Lena plated some pancakes before pouring more batter.  “Go on.”

“You’re going to turn your back on me?”

“Do you want your chocolate chip pancakes to burn?”

“They have chocolate chips in them?”

Lena smiled over her shoulder.  “Why don’t you get butter and syrup from the fridge.”

“Okay.”  Kara walked over the refrigerator, a bounce in her step, coming back with the butter and syrup.  When she had done so, Lena had the oven open and was about to grab out a plate with pancakes.  “I’ve got it.”

“Careful, they’re hot!”

Kara just smiled as she pulled out the plate.

“Right, that is still going to take some getting used to.”  Lena dropped her oven glove back on the counter.  “You’re in charge of barbecues from now on.”

“Okay.  So, how many of these are you eating?”

“None.  I’ll keep making them though.  I’ve seen you eat when I thought you were human.  It was impressive.”

“That was nothing.”  Kara piled bacon on her plate.  “You don’t eat this, right?”

“Leave a little for Eliza, but otherwise it’s all yours.”

“Sweet.”

Grabbing the juice from the fridge, Lena poured two glasses.  “So, is it my turn?”

“To what?”

“To make my argument as to why I should be allowed to sleep on the couch?”  She followed Kara to the kitchen table.

“Oh, sure.  Thanks for the juice.”

“You’re welcome.”  Placing both glasses down, Lena made her way back to the stove to flip pancakes.  “I’m shorter, we’re both guests, a lifetime of trauma is not something unique to me and,” heading back to Kara, Lena stopped with a hand on the other woman’s shoulder, “if we want this to work, we’ll have to learn to share the good and bad.  We have to take turns.  So, tonight I get the couch.  Is that fair?”

“Yeah, but I don’t like it,” Kara replied with a frown.

Lena chuckled.  “Then my evil Luthor ways are winning out, and good morning.”  She leaned down kissing Kara more deeply than before.

Kara smiled up at Lena after the kiss.  “Good morning.  Mmmm, I think I’m starting to like your evil Luthor ways.”

“Good.”  Kissing Kara on the forehead, Lena headed back toward the stove.  “You can tell my mother that when you visit her in jail.”

“I’m visiting your mother in jail?”

“Well, I’m not going to do it.  The last time I did, your sister’s girlfriend arrested me.”  Lena flipped the pancakes while she spoke.  “Between their engagement and our dating, we’ve managed to make that sort of situation even more awkward.”

Kara shrugged, cutting off a wedge of pancakes and shoving them in her mouth as she mumbled, “True but worth it.  Mmmm, you make good pancakes.”

“Thank you, but please don’t talk with your mouthful.”

“What?  Then I’d never talk.”  

“That’s a price I’m willing to pay.  Do I need to make more pancakes?”

Kara squinted her eyes at Lena, but she shook her head and smiled.  “Actually, I was hoping we could go out this morning.”

“Out?”

“Out like on a date out.”

Smiling as she turned, Lena said, “Kara Danvers, are you asking me on a date?”

“Oh, Rao.”  Kara rolled her eyes.  “You’re going to make me work for this, aren’t you?”

“For this?”  Lena gestured up and down her body as she grinned.  “Oh, yes.  Yes, I am.”

Smiling back, Kara wiped her face and rose, crossing the room to take Lena’s hand.  “Lena Luthor, will you do me the honor of going on a date with me today?”

“And what will we be doing on this date, Miss Danvers?”

“Whatever you like.  I could fly you to Paris, New York, Caro, Sydney, St. Lucia.  Pick your destination.  The world is your oyster … figuratively speaking.  It’s still literally a planet.”

Lena chuckled.  “I get that, Kara.  Though those sound lovely,  I’ve seen all of those places already.  What I haven’t seen is Midvale with you.  That’s what I’d like to see, your home on Earth.”

“Okay, let me make sure I understand.  I’m practically a magic genie here, and I’m offering you a wish, and your wish is to spend it sightseeing in Midvale?”

Smiling and biting her lower lip, Lena nodded as her gaze ran over Kara.  “Where’s your bottle.  I’m eager to rub it.”

Kara sighed.  “You are trouble, Miss Luthor.”  Taking Lena’s hand to her lips, Kara got down on one knee and kissed it gently as she said, “As you wish.”

 

<><> 

 

“This is stop number one on the tour?”  Lena slid the sunglasses down her nose and looked over the frames at the flashing sign of the ‘Midvale Arcade’.  It boasted an entire floor dedicated just to pinball games, a family fun section for kids of all ages, and an adult area.  There was outdoor mini-golf that looked like it had seen better days, a bit of American that was fading into the woodwork.  A separate building existed for laser tag and looked newer than the rest but hardly new.

Kara grinned broadly as she pulled the car into a spot in the parking lot, putting it into park.  “This place was too much for me when I first got here.  It’s full of bright, flashing lights, and loud noises, and there are kids running and yelling when it’s full.  It was one of Alex’s favorite places, though, so I really wanted to make it work.  Once Jeremiah got my glasses, it made a huge difference.  When they put in the laser tag stadium, the Danvers sisters rocked at that.”

Lena chuckled.  “Oh, I can well imagine.  Supergirl and the future second of the DEO versus a bunch of small-time locals?  That hardly seems fair.”

Kara frowned.  “Well, we weren’t cheating or anything.  We were just being us.”

“Kara, darling,” Reaching out, Lena gave Kara’s knee a gentle squeeze, “of course, you weren’t cheating.  You were just being yourselves.  There’s nothing wrong with being good at something.  Never apologize for skill and genetics.”

Leaning over, Kara gently kissed Lena.  “Okay, this is really nice.  When we get back to National City, I’ll be able to keep doing that, right?  I’ll be able to just kiss you?”

“Well, if I’m in the middle of a meeting with my board of directors, I’d prefer you wait, and I’d expect you’d feel the same way if you’re talking to the press in your Supergirl regalia.”

“Oh, Rao, yes.”

“Well, then other than a few situations aside, I’d say that the answer is yes.”

“What if we’re fighting?”

Lena’s brows creased.  “Fighting the threat du jour?”

“No, I mean like you and me in a couple’s fight, but I’m going to borrow your wording for all of the ridiculousness that goes on in National City.”

“You’re welcome to it, but it’s copyrighted.  Anytime anyone else says it, they owe me a nickel.  At any rate, let’s not.”

“Let’s not …”  Kara shook her head.

“Let’s not fight.  Let’s just decide to live happily ever after.”

“That’s it?”

“Why not.  We’re two strong-willed women.  Let’s make it so.”  Lena popped open her car door to get out.

Stepping out of the other side, Kara shut the door.  “Well, okay, but you remember you were the one who said that the next time you’re hollering at me, and I just step in and kiss you.”

“Kara, first of all, I don’t holler.  That’s insulting.  And secondly,” Lena walked around the car, grabbed Kara by the front of her blouse, pulled her closer, and kissed her fiercely for several moments before stepping away and running her thumb over her lower lip, “you don’t need to try and pick a fight with me to kiss me again.  Now come along and show me your arcade.  I’m paying for the premium tour, and so far I’m very impressed with what it includes.”

Kara nodded.  “As you wish.”

Inside the main part of the arcade, the entire third-floor was filled with pinball games.  Here they had games that went back to the 1950s which were the advent of the two-player pinball games.  The second-floor was arcade style games that went from old-school Frogger and Space Invaders, through Mortal Kombat type fighting games, to modern games that included guns or motorcycles as part of the setup.  The first-floor was ticket games, food, skeeball, a faux bowling set up, a kid’s section including a ball pit, and pool tables in one corner.  The scent of cheap pizza and fried dough filled the air, and above the recorded voices and ringing bells of the machines, voices of children, teens, and young adults rang out.

Lena looked over at her companion in plenty of time t capture the broad smile on Kara’s face, smiling in return.  “Good memories I see.”

“So many,” Kara agreed.  “What do you want to do first?  If there was real bowling, I could impress the heck out of you, or I could teach you how to play pool.”

“You want to teach me to play pool.”

“If you want.  Alex is better than me, but I’m pretty good.  I could teach you a few things.  What do you think?”

Smiling, Lena replied, “Lead on.”

A half-dozen pool tables were cordoned off from the rest of the game area in a back corner.  For five dollars in quarters, you could release the balls.  The pool sticks, some straighter than others, along with the chalks and the racks all hung around a post in the center.  Three of the tables were in use leaving another three available.  After feeding five bucks into one of the pool tables, Kara and Lena racked up the balls, picked two sticks, and began to play.

“So, where does the white ball go?” Lena asked.

“Anyplace here or back.  Hit the cue ball with the stick, but you can’t hit it more than once.  If you nudge the ball at all, that counts.  You need to hit it solidly enough that it strikes the rest of the balls and knocks something into a pocket.  You don’t want to knock the 8-ball in yet or the cue ball in.  If you knock in the cue ball, that’s called a scratch.  If that happens, I get to place the cue ball on the table and take my shot.  Now, you need to sink at least one of the solid or striped balls on the break, but until you call a ball on a shot, like “3-ball in the side pocket”, you don’t own the table and have to sink either just solids or stripes.  Got it?”

“Sounds simple enough.”  Lena took the stick that Kara handed off.  “How do I hold this?”

“Okay, this was really hard for me to learn because one of the big secrets is not to hold it too tightly.  You want to stay back on the stick and keep your muscles loose.  These things don’t come naturally to me.  Alex says it’s a lot like fighting, that if you tighten up and fight against it, you’re hurting yourself and helping your opponent.  Make sense?”

“Sure.”  Lena lined up her shot, her left hand wrapped around the stick.

“Wait, sweetie.  That’s not how you want to … Let me help you.”  Kara positioned herself behind Lena, wrapping her arms around the other woman even as she readjusted Lena’s hands.  “Okay, that’s how you hold the stick.  You should be able to move it smoothly like that, and when you break, you want to hit the cue ball with a moderate amount of force.”

“Moderate?”  One eyebrow raised, Lena looked over her shoulder to find Kara’s face perhaps an inch away.

Kara cleared her throat.  “Well, moderate for you.  You lose force with each ball in the process of the transference, so on the break, hit it hard.”

“Ah, physics.”  Smirking, Lena put her head down, face forward, as she took her shot.  It was decently hard, and after the balls bouncing around the table, one sunk.  “Like that?”

“Hey, that was great, honey.  Now you need to start calling your shots.  You sank a stripe, so you should try and keep sinking stripes since there are fewer of those left.”

“Any stripe?”

“Yup, just pick one and call it.”

Lena lined up a shot.  “So, just say 10-ball in the corner pocket?”

“Yeah, but sweetie, you need to line up your shot when you do that, and figure out how much force you’re going to need to sink that shot.”

“Help me?” Lena asked over her shoulder.

“Of course.”  Stepping behind Lena again, Kara helped her with her shot.  “Smooth and easy but make sure you have enough force to sink it.”

They went a few shots like that, Kara shooting by herself or helping Lena.  They’d been playing for maybe twenty minutes when a familiar voice spoke from behind the duo.

“Well, well, well, boys, what do we have here?”

Kara sighed loudly, her breath moving the hair across Lena’s ear before she straightened and turned to the three men standing there.  “Hello, Jake.  I see you have friends.”

“I do.”  Jake grinned.  “You remember Ty and Elliot from school, don’t you, Kara?  They were both on the football team.”

“You’re still hanging out with your high school friends?  How rural dystopia of you,” Lena said.

“Thanks,” Jake replied.

“Oh, Rao,” Kara mumbled.  “That wasn’t a … never mind.  Have a nice day, Jake.”  She turned back to Lena.  “It’s your shot, sweetie.”

“How about we rack ’em up and play you girls a game?  Winners buy the losers a pitcher of beer.”  Without waiting for an answer, Jake began using his hands to push balls into the pockets from Kara and Lena’s pool table.

“Hey, we’re in the middle of a game!”  Kara surged toward Jake, stopping as Lena grabbed her arm.

“Kara, no tossing people around the arcade,” Lena said quietly.

“No, I wouldn’t,” Kara agreed, shaking her head then added, “Does Jake count as people?”

“I think there’s a case made for the answer to be no, but if he were to suddenly become airborne, people might notice.”

“I might be willing to take that chance.”

Let me try something different,” Lena said as she patted Kara’s arm.  “Oh, Jake, how about a one-on-one game, you versus one of us?  You win, we’ll happily buy you and your friends drinks.  If we win, you don’t talk to us, interact with us, have anything else to do with us for the rest of our vacation.  What do you think?”

“Lena,” Kara leaned in a bit closer, whispering.  “It’s not a big deal, but I don’t know if this guy is a good pool player or not.  I’m only okay, and I’m a bit out of practice.  Maybe we should challenge him to arm wrestling.”  She flexed her bicep.

“Make it food and drinks, and you ladies have to join us,” Jake said with a grin.

“No way.  We’re not going to—”

“Agreed,” Lena said.  “Rack them up, Jake.”

“Lena,” Kara hissed out, “no way.  If I lose, we’ll have to sit down and eat with this jerk.  Don’t ruin food for me by adding Jake to it.  That’s just not fair.”

“No worries.  I think I’m getting the hang of this game.”  Lena handed over her stick to Kara and headed toward the center post.  “I’ll play him.”

“What?”  Trailing after Lena, Kara laughed nervously.  “No offense, sweetie.  You are getting much better, but you haven’t even played one full game.  Don’t you think it’s a bit early to gamble on a game you just learned?”

Pulling out a few sticks, Lena looked down each one until she found one that was acceptable.  “I think the game is simple enough.  You explained the rules, and after that, it’s just physics and geometry.  I happen to excel at both.  What could possibly go wrong?”

“Uh, you could lose, and we could end up splitting a plate of nachos with Jake.  Well, we could end up splitting a plate of nachos at all.  That sounds pretty bad but with Jake would be much worse.  At least with me playing, we’ll have a chance.”

“You don’t think I can win?”

“Well, of course, I do.  I mean you … I just … It’s just that …” Kara sighed.  “Oh, boy.”

“You ladies ready?”

“We are,” Lena replied.  “I’ll be playing for us.  Should we flip a coin to see who breaks?”

Jake grinned over at his friends.  “Nah, we were watching you two.  You can go ahead and break.”

“You’re sure?” Lena asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Jake replied.  “We’re playing 8-ball, solids or stripes and call your shot.  Any question on the rules?”

“No, Kara explained the rules to me when we got here.  It’s a fun game.”  As Jake pulled back the rack, Lena looked at Kara.  “May I have a kiss for luck?”

“As you wish.”  Kara leaned down slightly, kissing Lena.  “Just do your best and try to have fun.  No matter what happens, we’re here together, and that’s what matters.”

“Oh, Kara, you’re just the sweetest woman in the world.  I don’t know how I got so lucky,” Lena said as she squeezed Kara’s forearm and kissed her again, “but I’m a Luthor.  We like to win.”  Lining up on the cue ball, Lena made a smooth shot that sank two balls on the break.

“Whoa.”  Kara blinked, a crease between her brows.

“3-ball, corner pocket,” Lena said as she circled the table.  She shot quickly, sinking the shot without hesitation.  Picking up the chalk, she chalked her stick while she took a new position and examined the table.  “5-ball side pocket and 1-ball corner pocket,” Lena said, tapping the pockets that she called before taking her shot and sinking both balls in one shot.

Mouth agape, Kara looked over at Jake who wore a matching look of surprise to her own.

Lena’s next shot actually put a spin on the ball to curve it around one of the balls on its way in.  Ball after ball she called and sank quickly and methodically before she called and sank the 8-ball.

“You’re a hustler,” Jake accused, “You hustled—”  When Lena’s stick was tossed at him, he caught it.

“Now, Jake, remember our agreement, no talking.” Lena turned looping her arm through Kara’s and walking them both out of the section for the pool tables.  “So, what’s next?”

“He’s right.  You’re a pool hustler.”

“Hustler is such a crude term.  I simply enjoy a good game of billiards.”

“Billiards.”  Kara nodded.  “You play billiards?”

“I grew up in a home with a table, and I own one now.  I enjoy shooting a few games when I’m trying to work out a problem.  It lets my mind work while also not working.”

“And how often do you play?”

Lena shrugged.  “I don’t so much play as practice a few times a week for maybe an hour or so each time.  It was more before L-Corp.  I’ll tell you, in college, I definitely was a hustler.”  Looking up at Kara, Lena pulled to a halt.  “Are you upset?”

“Kind of.  You weren’t just hustling Jake.  You were hustling me.  You could have just told me that you knew how to play.”

“True, but then I wouldn’t have had an excuse for you to wrap your arms around me and hold me close,” Lena said as she stepped in and put her arms around Kara’s waist.

“You don’t need an excuse, you know.”

“I apologize.  It won’t happen again.  From now on, just ask me, and I’ll be honest with you.  There will be no more subterfuge, all right?”

“Thank you.”

They kissed briefly before stepping apart.

As they began to walk again, Lena said, “Now, Kara, do you want to teach me how to play this ‘pinball’ game I’ve heard so much about?”  Lena made air quotations around the word pinball.

Kara frowned slightly.  “I don’t know.  How many pinball companies do you own or patents on pinball machines?”

Winking at Kara, Lena chuckled.  “Ah, now you’re thinking like a Luthor.”

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment or an insult.”  Kara’s frown deepened.

“Oh, darling, I’m an expert on this subject.  It can be both at the same time.”

 

<><> 

 

After leaving the arcade, they went out to look at a few other parts of Midvale that Kara had mentioned during their time as friends.  They drove past the high school which was currently closed for the holidays.  They went by the beach which was deserted but Kara said was one of their favorite family places in the summer.  When they reached a little ice cream shack, Kara frowned heavily at the sign that said it was closed for the season.  Through it all, Kara reminisced and smiled, stories of a second chance of happiness with her second family, and Lena watched her with unhidden admiration and something … more.

As they approached one of the local businesses, Lena pulled off her sunglasses and turned suddenly.  “You have an ice skating rink in town?”

“You ice skate?” Kara replied, slowing down the car.

“Not in years, but it was one of the acceptable athletic pursuits allowable for a young Luthor woman or so said Lillian.”

Shaking her head, Kara turned into the parking lot.  “What else were you allowed to do?”

“All things involved in the modern pentathlon.”

Pulling into a spot in the near-empty parking lot, Kara put the car in neutral and pulled up on the parking brake.  “Care to translate that for your local alien?”

Patting Kara’s cheek, Lena said, “Your race has little to do with it.  Really, outside of Eastern Europe, it hasn’t caught on much.  The sport is made up of skills that are meant to represent the duties of the 19th-century cavalry officer.”

“Which are what exactly?”

Lena popped up a finger on one hand as she listed them all off.  “Fencing, equestrian, swimming, pistol shooting, and cross-country running.”

“Running?” Kara snorted.

Lena quirked an eyebrow, tilting her head back slightly to look down her nose at Kara.  “Not my best event, but I do much better in a pair of sneakers than four-inch heels.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to tease you.  I’m sure you’re a great runner.”

“I’m not,” Lena shrugged, “but I’m a damn good shot and a better fencer, and I do love horses.  My mother always said it was the Luthor killer instinct as if being good with weapons should be a matter of pride.”  When Kara grew quiet, Lena squeezed her hand.  “I also love ice skating.  Care to join me?”

Squeezing Lena’s hand in response, Kara replied, “As you wish.”

Kara and Lena made their way inside the empty rink.  No one was skating, and there was no one at the concession stands.

“Does it feel warm in here?” Lena asked.

Kara shrugged.  “I am not the right person to ask about that.”

“Ah, right.”  She put an arm around Kara middle and stepped closer.  “I forget.  My apologies.”

Throwing her arm over Lena’s shoulder, Kara drew the other woman in closer, pressing Lena to her as they walked.  “Don’t.  I love that you forget.  That brain of yours never forgets anything.  It’s always going, always working on something amazing, but with me it accepts.  To you, I’m just Kara, and that’s just as amazing as your mind.”

“Well, you are Kara.”

“I know.”  Kara sighed heavily and nuzzled Lena’s hair, inhaling the scent of Lena’s shampoo and even more so, the scent of Lena herself.  A smile grew on Kara’s face, warm and honest, and if there had been even a hint of tension about her, it was gone.  “I was worried about telling you my truth because I was worried you wouldn’t see me as Kara anymore.  I was worried we’d lose this, lose who we are together.  I should have trusted you to see beyond that,  I should have trusted you with myself.  Thank you.”

“Knowing you is a gift, Kara.  I had an inkling about that the day you walked into my office, and my instincts proved right.  Everything I’ve learned every day since has been like opening the bow on a present and looking inside the box to see what wonders will reveal themselves today.  At your core though, you’re Kara, and I’ll never forget that.”

“Promise?”

“Hey.”  Stopping and turning to stand in front of Kara, Lena cradled Kara’s face in her hands.  “Someone tells me that I have a pretty good memory so yes, I promise.  You, Kara Danvers, are unforgettable, right down to your unhealthy food obsession.  I remember it all, and it’s all adorable.  Every bit of it just makes me …”  An odd smile on her face, Lena shook her head and dropped her hands.

“Hey, what is it?”  Kara asked as she grabbed Lena’s hands that had fallen away from her face.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”  A quick laugh escaped as Lena smiled again.  “I’m happy.  I suppose I’m on unfamiliar ground.”

“Well, get used to it because there’s a lot more where that came from.  There’s a lifetime of happiness in store for you.”

“A lifetime,” Lena whispered a bit breathlessly.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Before Lena could answer, someone called out, “Excuse me, ladies!”  An older gentleman waved to them and made his way around the ice rink to join them.  “Hey there.  Sorry, but the rink is closed.  The freezing system isn’t working.  Right now we’ve got the world’s shallowest swimming pool.”

While Kara leaned over the edge of the rink and frowned, Lena asked, “What’s wrong with the cooling system?”

“It’s broke.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lena cleared her throat.  “Yes, obviously it’s broken, but have you had a mechanic in to diagnose the problem?”

“We called someone, but it will be a few days before they can come out.  Holidays and all, you know.”

“I could take a look.”

“Lena.”  Kara shook her head.

“What?  I’m an engineer.  When I was sixteen, I built a satellite for my senior project.  An ice skating rink wouldn’t exactly have made thesis material.”

“Are you saying you can fix the rink?” the man asked.

“She’s not saying that.  She doesn’t know anything about ice skating rinks.  Honey, tell him you aren’t saying that.”

“Of course, I’m saying that.  I told you, I ice skated my whole life.  I know everything about ice skating rinks.”

“Lena, sweetie.”  Taking Lena by the arm, Kara led her off to the side.  “Ice skating doesn’t give you engineering knowledge of ice skating rinks.”

Patting Kara on the arm, Lena said, “Kara, I’ve never used anything I didn’t understand top to bottom nut to bolts.  My father wouldn’t allow it.”

“So, Lionel wouldn’t let you ice skate unless you knew how to repair the rink?”

Lena nodded.

“But weren’t you supposed to fly on a shuttle?”

“As if you’re the only one in this relationship made for science.”  Lena smirked and made her way back to the man.  “So, take me to your glycol pumps.”

The man led Kara and Lena down into a basement area.  There was an electrical panel with perhaps two dozen lights.  Lena stopped briefly to examine it before continuing forward.

“What are we doing?” Kara asked.

Hooking a thumb over her shoulder, Lena said, “The electrical panel is all green, so nothing has tripped.  That’s not the issue.  It could be an issue in the compressor, condenser, or the pumps.”

“You really know all about these things?”

“My father took me out to see one being built when I was six.”  Her smile was warm.  “The pipes were already laid, but I got to see when they pumped the glycol through them and then as they laid each layer of water.  Do you know that if it’s too cold, they can’t make the ice?”

“How can it be too cold to make ice?”

“It doesn’t freeze evenly.  You get bubbles in the water.”

“And that’s a problem,” Kara said but with skepticism in her voice.

“Not for drinking but you don’t want to skate on it.”

They continued along with Lena pointing out bits and pieces.  Kara nodded along, the science seemingly not confusing her in the least though she didn’t seem familiar with this process.

Pushing up from her knees and wiping her hands, Lena said, “Okay, so both the compressor and the condenser check out.  Let’s head down to the pump area.”  The pump area ended up being a large section with several pumps that all stood taller than the people and were several feet wide.  “This basically works like a refrigerator.  You’re familiar with a refrigerator, aren’t you, Kara?”

“Yes.  Food.  Yum.”  Kara grinned.

“Smart ass.”  Lena pointed at the pumps.  “These will pump glycol through several miles of metal pipes that are laid inside a concrete slab under the ice.  The glycol freezes at a lower temperature, so it remains in liquid form even while being cold enough to freeze the water over it.  All of these pumps should be working.  However,” Lena hurried around the pumps, stopping with her hand on one of them, “one of them is not.”

Patting the quiet pump, Kara looked at the man and said, “Okay, this is your breakdown.  Case solved.”

“Right,” Lena agreed.  “Let’s get it opened up, diagnose the problem, overnight parts, and we can be doing repairs by the morning.  Hey, maybe we can even get a part couriered over to us by early evening, or maybe,” she elbowed Kara, “we can get a friend to pick it up.”

Kara laughed nervously, “Lena, no.”

“Okay, well then a courier to—”

“No, Lena.”  Shaking her head, Kara pulled Lena off to the side once again.  “This is supposed to be our date.  Do you really want to spend the day crawling around in the basement of an ice skating rink, pulling apart a broken pump and trying to fix it?”

Lena furrowed her brows.  “Is that a trick question?  I feel like that’s a trick question.  There’s no right answer for that.”

“Rao.  Lena, the right answer is no.  You, me, a date, that’s supposed to be something fun and romantic.  That doesn’t mean doing mechanical repair in a dirty old basement and … and …” As Lena’s face fell, Kara cradled the other woman’s face in the palm of her hand.  “Hey, I’m sorry.  Do you really want to pull this pump apart?”

“No, It’s just the kind of thing I used to do with my father.  I’m being silly.”  Patting Kara’s hand, she stepped away.  “I told you I wanted to see Midvale with you, so show me Midvale.”

Taking Lena’s hand, Kara gently pulled the other woman back to her.  “Your feelings are not silly.  I’m sorry I wasn’t listening.  If you want to do this together, if this is important to you, then we’ll do this.”

“Kara, no.”

“Lena, if the man gives us permission, then let’s take a pump apart.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Hey,” stepping closer, Kara took both of Lena’s hands in hers, “how long will this take?”

“It depends on the tools we have available to us.  But if we were able to get a good look at whatever wasn’t connected, or was burnt out, and if we were able to easily open things …”  Lena smiled.

With an eye roll, Kara said, “Gotcha.  You have the right tool for the task.  So, how long?”

“An hour, tops, maybe less.”

“An hour.”  Kara sighed.  “And this would make you happy?”

“I know.  I know I’m that weird girl, but I love taking things apart and making them work.  You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Kara.  I just really like—”

“Hey.”  One finger to Lena’s lips, Kara stepped so close that their bodies were pressed together when she whispered, “As you wish.”

 

<><> 

 

Freshly showered and in clean clothes, Lena walked down the stairs drying her hair.  She looked around the living room, only seeing Eliza.  “Where’s Kara?”

“She went out.”

“For a drive or up, up and away?”

“Neither, just to the back somewhere.”

“Oh.”  Nodding, Lena headed toward the kitchen.

“She asked that you wait here for her.”

“Excuse me?” Lena asked, her hand on the door to the kitchen.

“Kara asked that you wait here at the house until she comes back for you.”

“Why?  I’m not in danger anymore.  Why can’t I just go look for her?”

Closing her book and using her finger for a bookmark, Eliza replied, “I don’t think it has anything to do with danger.  I can’t imagine she’d have left you alone with me in the house if it did.  I think she’s working on a surprise.”

“For Christmas?”

Eliza shrugged.  “I honestly have no idea.  She wanted you to stay in here, so you didn’t ruin whatever she’s up to.  That’s all I know.”

“Well, that’s a bother.  I’m curious by nature.”

“You’re a scientist.  I understand.  Oh.”  Rising, Eliza walked over to the front door and patted some boxes.  “These arrived for you while you were out.  Maybe you could sate your curiosity on these.”

“Fantastic.”  Smiling broadly, Lena picked up the boxes from where they sat and brought them into the living room, placing them on the floor.

“Need some scissors to open those?”

“Yes, please,” Lena replied.  “I don’t suppose I could get some wrapping paper and tape from you, could I?  With Kara out, this seems like the perfect time to wrap her gifts.”

“I think we can manage that.”  Eliza grabbed the tub of wrapping materials, carrying them toward Lena.  “I should warn you, Kara’s a present peeker.”

“Through wrapping?”

Eliza nodded.

Smiling as she pulled the scissors out of the bin, Lena said, “Good.  I planned for that.”

“You planned for Kara to peek at her gifts?”

“Of course.  I am a Luthor, after all.”  Using the scissors, she opened the first of the boxes.  “That’s why I bought Kara two sets of gifts.  The first will get gift wrapped and sit under the tree.  The second will be stored somewhere else until she’s already finished with all her gifts.”

“You want her to look at the first set of gifts.”

“Oh, yes.  I want her to be suitably underwhelmed.  That’s what she gets for breaking the rules.  She thinks she’s going to use her X-ray vision to her advantage, but I’m going to use it to mine.  That’s the Luthor way.”

Arms crossed, Eliza stared down at Lena.

“What?”

“I’m so glad you girls are on the same side.  You’d be a dangerous enemy for her.”

“It will never come to that.”  Lena smiled up at Eliza, patting the floor.  “Want to help me wrap and see what I bought?”

“Yes.”  Eliza sat but then looked toward the kitchen.  “Maybe I should keep an eye out for Kara.”

“I’ve got this.”  Lena disappeared into the kitchen and came back about two minutes later.  “Okay, all set.”

“What did you do?”

“I set a trap for Kara.”

Eyebrows high, Eliza waited.

“Okay,” Lena said chuckling as she pulled out a second pair of scissors and handed them over to Eliza.  “I put a whole bag of cookies out on a plate and wrote a note that said, ‘Eat in the kitchen.’  That should buy us some time.”

“Oh, you are good.”

Smiling from one side of her mouth, Lena quirked a brow. “I am a Luthor.  Come on.  Let’s get wrapping.  I don’t know what she’s doing, but I expect she’ll be back soon.”

It was about twenty minutes later when a joyful cry of, “Cookies!” came from the kitchen.

Eliza and Lena tidied up, moving some of Kara’s gifts into the basement.  Others were already piled under the tree.  By the time Kara showed up with a mouthful of food, the other ladies were cleaning up trash and putting away wrapping supplies.

Kara chewed and swallowed.  “Oh, were you wrapping presents?”

“We were.”  Lena smiled over at Eliza.

“For who?”

Waggling a finger at Kara, Lena said, “No peeking.  You want surprises come Christmas, don’t you?”

“Peeking?  Me?  Pffft.  Never.”  Her gaze wandered over to the new pile of presents under the tree before returning to Lena’s.  “So, want to go for a walk with me?”

“I don’t know.  I’m pretty tired, Kara.  Maybe we should just stay in.”

Sweeping Lena into her arms, Kara said, “Then I’ll carry you.”

“Okay, put me down.”  Lena laughed as Kara carefully placed her on her feet again.  “So, Eliza told me you were outside working on something.  Is it for Christmas?”

“Nope, it’s for right now.”  She held out her hand.  “Walk with me, Miss Luthor.”

“I’d love to, Miss Danvers.”  Hand-in-hand, they walked into the backyard and through the woods.  “So, this is mysterious.”

“Mhmmm.”

“Do I get a hint?”

“If I wanted to tell you, I wouldn’t have brought you out here.”

“Fair.”  Squeezing Kara’s hand, she leaned her head against the other woman’s shoulder.  “Well, I may not know where we’re going, but I’m enjoying the company along the way.”

“Doesn’t that describe how life should work?”

“Someone’s full of wisdom.”

“And surprises.”

Lena chuckled, and they walked a bit further in silence.  The woods opened to a clearing near a lake.

“Here we are.”

Lena quirked an eyebrow.  “This had better be a picnic or something because I already told you, I’m not going swimming.”

“Neither am I.  Take a closer look.”

As they got closer, it became obvious that something had happened to the lake.  Though the far end looked normal, nearby Kara and Lena and about halfway out it was frozen over.  It was a chilly day, in the mid-forties Fahrenheit for temperature, but was still well above freezing.  Even at freezing temperatures, no part of the lake would have frozen this quickly. 

Brows furrowed, Lena asked, “How …?”

Puffing up her cheeks, Kara blew a blast of icy air across the lake before grabbing her and Alex’s old ice skates that lay nearby.  “Ready to go skating, Miss Luthor?”

“You froze over the lake?”

Shrugging and ducking her head shyly, Kara replied, “You seemed disappointed when we left the ice skating rink.  You had fun taking that pump apart, but I felt like you still wanted to skate.  We don’t have to if you don’t—” Lena’s lips on hers stopped anything else Kara was about to say.

Letting go of Kara’s neck, Lena stepped away smiling.  “Kara, this is the kindest, most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me.  I’d love to go skating.”

Holding out a pair of skates, Kara said, “As you wish.”

 

<><> 

 

Walking back into the house, each with a pair of skates over their shoulders, Lena and Kara both smiled brightly as they stepped into the kitchen.

“I can’t believe I haven’t skated in years.”

“Yeah, you’re still really good,” Kara said.

“Thank you, but I meant that I can’t believe I’ve let myself go this many years without skating.  I’d forgotten how much I loved it, especially when I did it with someone I care for.”  She leaned forward, kissing Kara’s cheek.

“Did you used to go with Lex?”

“Oh, almost never.  My father took me on occasion, and I went with friends and then with a significant other from time to time.  School got in the way, and then the Luthors got in the way and …” Lena shrugged.  “Life, you know?”

“Yeah, I have one of those on occasion.  So, we should put the skates in the basement and eat.  Ready for food and cocoa?”

“I don’t know how you lasted this long without eating again,” Lena replied.

Kara smiled.  “Someone amazing left me cookies in the kitchen, and I might have grabbed a teeny tiny snack when I went out to freeze the lake.”

“Teeny tiny?”  Lena shook her head.  “I’m not asking, and I’m not judging.  Sure, food and cocoa sound great.  What are we making?”

“Sandwiches and popcorn?”

“Sandwiches **and** popcorn?”  When Kara just smiled, Lena laughed and pulled the skates off Kara’s shoulder.  “How about I put these away while you get to making popcorn and drinks.  Then I’ll join you and start on the sandwiches.”

“Hmmm.”  Kissing Lena, Kara replied, “I feel like I’m getting the better part of this deal.”

“Because you’re staying with the food?”

“Oh, true.  Okay, hurry back.”

Heading toward the living room, Lena said, “Don’t eat everything while I’m gone.”

“Don’t eat anything!?”

Lena turned and stopped at the door between the kitchen and the living room.  “Everything, Kara, don’t eat everything.”

“Oh, everything.” Kara chuckled.  “If you hurry I can probably manage that.”

Shaking her head, Lena left.  “I’m hurrying.”

Several sandwiches (for Kara), a veggie wrap, a large bowl of popcorn, and two mugs of cocoa later, Kara and Lena were seated in front of the television with a DVD playing.  It was one Kara had seen many times, one of her favorites since coming to Earth, but like so many, it was a new one for Lena.  It was one Kara had bought recently with the express intent of sharing it with Lena.  They sat together on the couch, Kara with a bowl of popcorn in her lap and her arm over Lena’s shoulders.

The movie had only played for a short while when Lena asked, “Okay, so this is a book?  Will this be set in modern times or—”

“Shhh.”  One finger to her lips, Kara frowned at Lena.  “You need to pay attention.  You’re going to talk through the best part.”

“The beginning is the best part?”

“Shhh.”

“Okay, okay.  Kryptonians take movies seriously, don’t they?”

Grinning, Kara pulled Lena closer and shoved a handful of popcorn in her own mouth.  They sat together quietly, watching the film and eating.  Kara kept glancing between the television and Lena.  As one scene began, Kara moved the popcorn off her lap and cleaned her fingers.

 _ Grandpa: _ _“Nothing gave Buttercup as much pleasure as ordering Westley around.”_

 _ Buttercup: _ _“Farm boy, polish my horse’s saddle.  I want to see my face shining in it by morning.”_

 _ Westley: _ _“As you wish.”_

 _ Grandpa: _ _“‘As you wish’ was all he ever said to her.”_

 _ Buttercup: _ _“Farm boy, fill these with water - please.”_

 _ Westley: _ _“As you wish.”_

 _ Grandpa: _ _“That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying ‘As you wish’, what he meant was, ‘I love you.’ And even more amazing was the day she realized she truly loved him back.”_

 _ Buttercup: _ _“Farm boy … fetch me that pitcher.”_

 _ Westley: _ _“As you wish.”_

The picture on the screen stopped, Lena held the remote out in her hand and pointed at the screen.  She lowered it to her lap as she slowly turned to Kara who sat watching her, a small smile on the blonde’s face.

“Kara, several times today …” Lena licked her lips, brows creasing and smoothing out.  “I mean, it could be a coincidence, but I have fairly decent recall.  I thought you were making a joke about that genie thing you said earlier, and I noticed that today you said—”

“As you wish.”

Eyes wide and eyebrows high, Lena nodded.  “Yes, that.  When you said that, were you … do you …”

Cradling Lena’s face in the palm of her hands, Kara’s smile grew.  Her eyes softened as she leaned in a bit closer.  “Lena, as you wish.”

“Oh, my God,” Lena whispered with an audible swallow.  “Kara—”

“It’s okay.  You don’t have to say anything.  I just wanted you to know the way I feel, and the word love just doesn’t translate well to my language.  The Matrix picked out mates, and love has more of a family feel.  I mean I have that for you, I love you like family, but it’s different.  There’s been something there since the moment I laid eyes on you, and I didn’t understand it because my people just didn’t have the words.  This movie does though.  This movie explained an idea to me I didn’t understand until I fell in love with you.”  Laying a gentle kiss on Lena’s lips, Kara pulled back and softly repeated, “As you wish.”

The tears filling Lena’s eyes spilled out, running down her cheeks where Kara brushed them away with feather-light thumb strokes.  She nodded, saying, “I love you too.”

“Really?”  Kara’s eyes grew wide and watery immediately.  “I mean, you do?”

Lena nodded.  “I felt something the moment I met you.  Actually, it was before that.”  Lena ran a hand along Kara’s cheek, smiling.  “You were this ideal I had, this person who would see me, who could love me, and not be blinded by the barrier of my name.  I know people have all these crazy romantic ideals, but all I ever wanted was to be seen, and you walked right into my life and did that.  You were just … perfect, well, perfect for me.  I mean, I know you’re not perfect, Kara, but you’re bloody close.”

“Sometimes I can’t even put three words together, and I write for a living.”

“I know,” Lena said with a laugh.  “I love that about you.  I love it.  I love you.”

“I love you too.  I love you.”  She kissed Lena then, deeply and with conviction before pulling her face back, tears finally having broken free.  “I love you.”

Lena sniffed.  “I love you so much, Kara.”

That’s how Eliza found them, both crying, foreheads pressed together as they sat on the couch.  “What’s happened now?  Is everything all right?”

Looking up at her foster mother, Kara smiled and rubbed her eyes with the back of one hand.  “Eliza, she loves.”

“Oh.”  Eliza nodded and turned her attention to Lena.

“And she loves me too,” Lena managed between little sobs, though her lips curled up.

“Ah.  So all of this is because …”  Eliza sighed as she walked over to the girls, laying a hand on their heads and kissing them both there.  “Girls, I knew you loved each other after about five minutes of seeing you two together.  You’re idiots for not figuring this out sooner, but I love you both.  Now, you both get some tissues, I’m going to get some tea.”  As she walked toward the kitchen, Eliza’s gaze flicked toward a picture on the mantle, but her stride didn’t falter.  She entered the kitchen, started water, and pulled down a mug and tea bag.  Hands pressed to the countertop, she let her head loll forward as she took a deep, staggered breath.  “Damn you for not being here for this, Jeremiah.  I wasn’t supposed to do this alone.  You’re missing it.  You’re missing the good stuff.”


End file.
